I don't like Manila

I had heard bad stories about a traveler being strained in Manila airport. Every officers asked him for bribe and he lost his boarding pass when taking a nap. Not a problem to have a replacement, if he could afford to pay the fee...

That's really not a big deal, I said to myself. The hotel is going to pick me up, I don't think I need to withdraw any pesos for this 3 day trip in Manila. The airport is old and seems like it hasn't be properly renovated after Phillipine's hay days in the 70s. No big deal. I hoped on the limo and went straight to the Manila Pennisula.

There is actually no high way connecting the airport with the city. The road was not even, the car went pass quite slumy areas until we were at the heart of the financial district. 15 minutes ride costs me 1400 peso, which is around 30 bucks. Wow, this is close to the Manhattan taxi fare from LaGuardia. The hotel is very nice, what surprised me was the limo had to go through a security check at the gate. After dropping me off, my handbag and luggage were searched again. There are around 3 security guards, 5 valet parking guys and 4 bellboys standing around the entrance to the lobby. It seems like they don't have anything more interesting to do.

I was going to meet with Kate Porter at the breakfast loundge before going to the bank. 2 days in a row, Kate and I both asked for coffee and I have got the lousy filter coffee when Kate is getting the fresh brew straight from the expresso machine. I was really getting annoyed the second day and asked the waiter why I am getting different coffee? I pushed away the filter coffee and said please bring me the fresh coffee. Is Manila Peninsula training their staff not to serve fresh coffee to orientals because they don't know how to appreciate it?

Everything is about peso. My hotel room costs twice as much as in Kuala Lumpur but what I feel is insult. Not until I checked out, did I realise that breakfast was not included. This is again not clearly stated when I checked in, or Manila Peninsula think it is the right way to do business?

I was informed that there is a "departure tax" imposing on any traveler leaving Manila airport. But I was really disgusted by this country and couldn't want to run my credit card to withdraw cash. I asked the hotel to settle the tax for me. There is a small fee associated with it, that's fine with me as long as I don't need to go out to the cash machine where lots of people hanging around aimlessly. The taxi is arranged, I walked straight to the taxi and got to the airport, again, with Manhattan taxi fare.

The airport is definitely chaotic. It is not well lit, there are things stuffed in every stackable place. There are security guards wearing no uniforms but a badge in different size and age. The queue is moving like snail crawl but no airport personelle seemed to mind. There are large group of oversea workers trapped in one corner in the airport, I have no idea what are they waiting for, but everyone has a very huge luggage. The check-in line moved as slowly as any other line. The funny thing is that there are 2 large weight scales blocking the real entrance of the check-in queue, as if the situation is not chaotic enough. The JAL people need to weight every passenger's check-in luggage. Oh, that is because there is no scale in the check-in counter. Gee....

After 1 hour wait and I've checked in and you cannot imagine what type of ecstatic state I was in. I went to the counter to show the officer that I have paid my airport tax, he was scratching his head really hard. Oh, no, no, no, the hotel charged me for the fee but they are supposed to give me the cash advance so to pay for the tax. The idiot at the check out didn't give me the money! I was almost bursting into tear in front of the officer, thinking that I might miss my flight and I have to spend one more night in this country?

They let me call the hotel, who has realised their mistake and said that they can give me the money through their representative office. But that's in the arrival level! Panicking, I ran across the queue toward the only exit of the departure level. The floor was so nicely cleaned that my boots' heel skipped and my left ankle sprained. I didn't realise how bad it was, trying to stand up with only one thought that my flight is leaving in 30 minutes, but my left ankle was so wounded that it couldn't stand the pressure. I fell again, really hard this time. I limped through my journey back to Tokyo with tears. I don't want to go back to Manila.

Hiroko

It is not easy to write about Hiroko. She is just not a typical Japanese woman all around. She is amazingly beautiful. She is stout yet delicate. Angular jaw line with very feminine compoisition of eyes and nose. Timeless hairstyle, which is straight long hair to lowerback length. Broad shoulder and definitely not slim body build however shows a sort of gracefulness because of her elegant demeanor. She never wears fancy outfits, but you feel comfortable and at ease when having her around. She is so square, steady and trustworthy. I guess she is at her late 40's and one of the few very very confident women I have met. Perhaps her confidence comes from the fact that she is not seeking anyone's aproval. And this, I believe, is what she was born with.

In a society with sheep syndrom (if everyone has a Louise Vutton bag, I have to have one), Hiroko's survival is an oddity. She never tries to pretend who she is not. She is the one I can let go my pee and make it as loud as possible and when she is in the bathroom with me. Of course, she knows what to say and what to give so to show politeness to others but you always feel the sincerity. There is no excessive wordings to hide shyness or exaggerate the gratitue, she is always herself. When she says something, she means it. Although her English is not fluent, I can sort of move along her way of thinking pretty good.

Working very hard and very smart, she sometimes lives inside her own world. When in California, I think Hiroko heard Susie banging on the keyboard and swearing "F*ck Me!". She then came to me and asked "What difference is f*ck you and f*ck me?". I was like... "Um... it depends who is on the top...". Hiroko continued, still very puzzled, "but technical impossible".

Po Bronson

I am reading Po Bronson's "What should I do with my life". He's interviewed with more than 900 people and composed this book with real stories. Uh... I always hate those self-help or spiritual books, however, this book has caught my attention perhaps because I am genuinely gossipy, I want to peep into other people's life (in the name of inspiration). I never understand why people can trust those so called motivational leader or buy the ticket to the enpower-yourself seminar.

There were 2 types of job wranglers in his book. One of them worked her way through the boom, made her mark, changed the world and jump because she feels there is nothing more to do. The other one is purely hopping around because she doesn't really know what she is after. It is darn easy to be after the prestigeous job, big name and good salary. In fact, Po has given this type a nick name "phi beta slacker". This is really scary, this is exactly me!

On my way to Manila, which I have heard so many horrible stories about the airport and the country.

Sexy Version of Dancing Queen

I love Hiroko.

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I was invited to join Tokyo office's consultant's day in the hot spring resort Hakone. The osen has 5 different bath pools, Hiroko grabbed the small window of time before the Karaoke (if you are in Japan long enough, you know that party is incompleted without a Karaoke) and 16 course dinner, gave me the orientation.

We quickly changed into the hotel kimono, ran to the osen (hot spring). Undressed, put away the kimono in basket, rinsed our feet, showered (hot spring ettieque), dipped into the indoor hot spring for 2 minutes, then moved outdoor to the second osen with banboo fence. The air was chilly, but you felt alright as long as you bury your body under the 45C water and the moonlight. Haaaaaaaaaaaah... is the only sound I can make.

Hiroko then got out and walked down the hill, oh, there are another 2 osens, the water temperature is higher, we spent 3 minute each, just like a kid go lose in a candy shop, we were so keen to try every osen with different view of the mountain. Anyways, our after-dinner dip didn't last very long because we didn't want to delay the Karaoke party.

Not everyone was there but we started singing anyways. ABBA's dancing queen was ordered and the MTV was totally unmatching the song. It was showing naked girls all along! Difficult to get over the shock and embarassment, everyone was half giggling and singing. When Akiko arrived, we suggested her to sing the dancing queen and some one keenly ordered the song for her. However, she finished the whole song with straight face!

P.S. it is very difficult to get hyperactive without over exposing your flesh in hotel kimono. I was sooooooooooo embarassed.

Who is going to Inspect Your Room

Fuji mountain from Hakone. After 3 transfers and 4 different transportation, I finally arrived in the place where I can see the mountain. All tourists came the same way, I somehow felt very paranoid and tired. Isn't this supposed to be relaxing?

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For some strange reasons, I keep my living space tidy as if some one would come and inspect my room without notifying me. I scrapped my bath tub, meticulously clean the stove and mop the floor every day despite the fact I am as tired as a dog after work. I just cannot bear the thought that someone might come to my apartment when I am not around. My principle is to hide the trace of a living human being has been in this space.

Before departing for a business trip, I shut down electricity and gas, remove the garbage, make sure there is not shred of smell left in the kitchen and bathroom apart from the heavy chlorine scent. Dispose all foods (that was usually carefully calculated, little is wasted) from the fridge. Painstakingly go over my wardrobe, everything has to be folded neatly as if no one has ever lived here. You cannot tell who I am from my flat, there are definitely no personalities. The only thing that might give it away was the books I am reading.

In hotel room things are not getting any better, when I leave the room, everthing is stowed or hidden, yes, no one is staying in this room tonight. I just cannot truely relax. Those places are not my permenant to me, I always feel I am on the go any minute.

Mai Tai Dinner

Meeting up with Mai last time in Tokyo....



Meeting Mai this time in Tokyo... Mai can drink. Our usual drinking program is like this, start with 2 pints of larger, fellow by 2 small bottles of sake and then Shuijiu to end. I had little problem finding my way back to the hotel.

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I was reading an very interesting article http://www.jref.com/culture/misconceptions_prejudices.shtml , written by a Kaijin (foreigner) living in Japan for ages. The homogeneous society, heavily indoctrinated by the uniformed education system, have quite a few misconception and prejudices about westerners according to the article. Such as Kaijings are all american and Japan is a very small country. The author has given quite a powerful arguement indicating that Japan is actually not a small country compare to most European countries. Some other issues such as Japanese do not know that 1st Jan is not the traditional New Year until late 19th centry an so on. I think the author is a too critical, you can produce similar arguement with any other countries in the world (or in the universities, ha ha).

One thing that the article has indicated is the lack of critical thinking training in the education system, or the society requires every one to conform, rather than being skeptical. Well, I guess that is one of the survival principles. You do have to pay the price to be different, only those with strong nerves and determination can do. Why not being lazy?

However, there is no doubt that Japanese culture has very strong influence. The advance economic has bred the super neat, convenient environment. Perhaps that's the obvious way of life to pursuit?

Yokohama Hakkejima Aquarium

The polar bear in the aquarium. I cannot help but think they are all suffering from some sort of mental disease. The sea elepants/fishes/squid/sharks/turtles move around the water in a fixed pattern, going from one end to another, back and forth, as if they are meditating, or trying to perfect the movement like gymnasts. They must be bored as hell, serving the life sentence for unknown reasons.

I feel very sorry that I like to go to aquarium so much.

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Walking about Tokyo is a very nice thing to do. People are all very well dressed from head to toes (shoes). Girls all have very agreeable skin. Many thanks to the advanced technology. The high art of putting on make up is so that you don't feel she has applied anything to her face. But you do see some fake tan that is very pronounced, with the light brown hair and bright blue eye-shadow, one of my Tokyo colleague calls them "Orange Girl".

I also feel the pressure to make myself presentable but am really too lazy to find out which type of powder would do the best for my eczma attacked face.

Funny Translation

XiaoHo was having a fever on and off last weekend, the doctor in the first clinic simply prescribed some anti-biotics. My mom insisted to get the second doctor's opinion. And they found out XiaoHo's ear was seriously infected. Another battle won.

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The standard Mandarin was consider the standard, official and civilised language in Modern China. However, many local dialets preserves the sounds and tones of the ancient Chinese. Take the Chinese poems for example, the choice of characters and arrange of tones are formatted so that they can be read out loud beautifully. But Mandarin pronounciation has blended the "Ze" tone into the 1, 2, 3 or 4 tone. The "Ze" tone is short and quick, as if you narrow the air passage and stop the sound-making in a haste.

Mandarin also rips off those creative and interesting phrases. For example, in some dialet, butterfly is called "拍翼", which means clapping wings. In Mandarin, butterfly is a none, means butterfly. Don't you think "clapping wings" almost has slapped the moving insect in the visual comprehension area of your brain?

Different regions develop their own way of describing things. The phrases might be different but they can still be understood by Chinese because we can connect the individual Chinese character's meaning together and reach the concludion. Take the disposable culinaries for example, in Taiwan, chopsticks, spoon or knife are prefixed by "wash-free". However, in China, the prefix is "use only one time"(一次性). But I am sure people from both sides of Taiwan Straight know what you are refering to either way.

However, in some cities of China, the English translation of disposible chopsticks is "one-time sex chopstick". The character, "性", could mean the nature of an item/thing/event or sex.

Drainage

I came back from Kuala Lumpur one day early to hunt for a flat on Friday evening because I have to move out of my flat on the next day. I have done a bit of research before leaving for KL 2 weeks ago and understood the type of flat I am going to get for my budget. I think the estate agent is very clever, she showed me one flat in a very crappy condition and then a slightly better one with higher price. I almost decided on the spot.

It is very dangerous to be trapped into so-called new development in Beijing, where half of the buildings are still under contruction. Your neighbours on all directions are also renovating. The communal areas are filled with tiles and workers wheel in tons of sands. All this is for the previliage of sitting on a brand new toilet bow. Suppose not the new buildings, then the local Beijing housing. They are very depressing. They are mostly 6 story high (to avoid complaints if higher?) without lifts. The hall ways s eternally lit by 40W light bulb, I think they do it on purpose so that you don't see the sinister stainon the wall. The interior are usually ill-lit and cheap furniture-filled. The saddest thing is the bathroom. What is the issue with seperating the wet and dry area? The shower was installed right next to the wash machine and toilet. Wouldn't it be nice to step onto a dry, clean bathroom mat after a long and hot shower? How do people put on pants if the whole floor was wet and slippery?

My flat was not all that better. It is a good size studio without doors to the toilet and kitchen. Amatuer home developer's work. However, the wooden carboard and throughout slate-like tiles make it look quite modern. The best thing is that the bathroom is very very well-lit, however, the drainage gives out the funny odor. I pour some bleach into the drain and then boiling hot water to clean it, however, the smell persists.

I was always wondering why the 2 pieces of drainange pipe were bent into the a rollercoaster loop under the bathroom sink. I just realised that is to let the water flow through but prevent the funny odor from flying freely between the main drainage pipe to your bathroom. I can only shut the sink stop and brush my teeth in the kitchen.

Good Bye WeiVoon

I think the work-related social events I attend in my company is farewell lunch/dinner/drink. This is WeiVoon's farewell dinner, you get only a card from your colleagues if you only stay with us for less than 2 years.




But if you are joining our clients' work force, you can get a small present.

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I don't know if you have similar experience about irritating strange/colleague/friend's smell. Body order is of course getting on my nerves, however, they are more bearable comparing to what I am going to talk about.

The garlic breath and strong perfume (the not very expensive one) has the power of destroying my mood (I become so irritate and ready to kill). Smell is really very powerful. For those you don't want to see, you simply concentrate on your monitor. For those you don't want to hear, put on the headset. But smell has legs, it finds its way to your nastrils with ease (sometimes it attacks my eyes, especially the garlic breath).

In Beijing, I find you sorted of meet with the garlic breath more often than the south. I don't understand because I think southern Chinese cook with garlic generously. But one time I walked into the meeting room, which filled with people just came back from lunch, oh the air... I could barely open my eyes.

I just encountered another smell disaster this week. The lady I worked with in the bank wears this very strong perfume. So thick that you can smell it 3 feet away. I don't know if that's not so expensive perfume or not, but I think it is quite not adequet to wear such thick scent in workplace (in fact, anywhere). The unpleasant smell stabbed my nerve during the whole time sitting next to her. I just pretended that I had a running nose or I am thinking deeply so to cover my nose with my hand while talking to her.

Women are keepers of sex and men keeper of romance

I was reading a book written by 2 bartenders in New York, about the art of picking up gals/guys in pub. Well, they kept claiming that if you can train yourself so that you are not timid when walking into a social situation, you can walk into a job interview, in-laws eye sights, public bath house with the same confidence.

Hey, aren't you talking about picking up a stranger from the pub? These 2 bartenders are so trying hard to sell the book.

Goddness of Parametric VaR

It is very interesting to recall the Value at Risk (VaR) knowleges I read in various papers, documents about 5 years ago. In the past week, I pull off the training session for a bank on this subject I didn't have much preparation for. Back in those time, the theoretical stuff didn't make much sense then (it could be that my brain wire circuits have not been completed yet). I simply chew and swollow the facts and theories without connecting them together. Now I think it was a miracle that I have survived. Perhaps it just takes time to let the raw knowledge sit and brew into something useful.

I am Not Nice

As growing older, I found myself more and more impatient. I cannot stand those who are slow and unobservant. I give up explaining nicely, I usually take more aggresive measure to show my unsatisfaction.

I breakfast in the hotel restaurant this morning. Leisurely browsing my newspaper and wait for my first cup of coffee. I had noticed there are a couple of manager-like persons standing around the corner of the loundge, one of the slicky looking manager walked pass my table every 5 minute, I guess that's his routine walk. He didn't notice that no one has served me coffee or tea. Fine, I waited again. Couple of the waitresses passed by my table to clean up the table next to me or collecting finished plates, still no one came and asked me "tea or coffee". I am getting impatient but decided to wait for another 5 minutes. Nothing has happened after the manager passed my table the 3rd time.

I am getting annoyed. So I stood up, walked across the dining hall to the coffee and tea counter with my coffee cup. I said to another manager politely, if I can have a cup of coffee. She said, you meant you want to have another cup of coffee? I said I have never had coffee ever since I sat down. She apologised and promised to bring me fresh brew coffee in no time.

This incident can be resolved by waving the waitress to my table and explaining my demand. But I do prefer to embarrass the managers by showing how incompetent the staff is. Why shouldn't I show my anger?

My Mom's Strict Sense of Rightdoings

The thing started with the location of my aunt and uncle's hotel booking. It was located in the west end of Taipei city, used to be the most prosperous area in the 70s, however, the glory had faded with the development of of east side of Taipei. The area is very close to the Taipei central station. Streets are narrow, many of the buildings are old were built in the Japanese colonial time. The composit of inhabitants are more complex. People came from the village found their first foot hole here.

My mom's first reaction to the address is that's a area filled with prostitutes. She always draws the line between good and evil women very strictly. In her mind, those women who work in pubs, nightclubes are all classified as prostitutes, regardless whether she is the manager, janitor, or hostess. They should be all condemned for making money by selling their bodies.

That's very harsh generalisation. I think this area can better present Taipei's past and present comparing to the multi-national hotel chain. Not to confront my mother, I told my aunt and uncle that the area has a lot of historical buildings, many nice eataries with stories and Taiwanese flavor. Indeed, there are hostess bars and pubs around, but if not hanging out too late at night, I think you are safe.

We all make our living one way or another, there is no clear cut of what type of job is superior than the other. If there is demand, supply follows. Actually, I even admire those who can survive in this tough environment. I don't quit understand why is she so hostile toward this industry, is it threatening her life at one time? It shouldn't be now.

My Brother's Wedding

My sister-in-law's dress was the typical Cantonese (or rather Hong Kong) style. Quite a different taste to the western white dress. This picture was taken in the registration hall in Taipei.

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I'd never imagine how exhausted it is to have a full set of Chinese wedding. My brother's wedding is already simplified, mind you. The ceremonies and procedures of getting Carol, my sister-in-law, into Liao's family started at night of December 28th. In the afternoon, Grace and I went to arrange the decoration for the black Mercedeze and flower bouquat. And then My brother and I picked up our first guest, Jessica, from Singapore and sent her to the hotel. My brother rehearsed the procedures the next day.

On 29th, Carol is going to go to have the bridal make up session by 6am and she is going to farewell her parents. Carol needed to be accompanied by a young, unmarried female friend, which is Jessica, during the whole day.

After getting home before midnight, we realised that the black Mecedeze was not washed because Grace and my mom had taken XiaoHo to the Dentist and missed the Car Wash appointment. Grace, Mankit and I then started to wash the car in the dark, raining cold night until 2am.

My brother was painstakingly detailed person, he has outlined the script-like schedule, who is going to do what at what time, items needed, etc. For example, Carol and Mankit were going to knee in front of Carol's parents, officially breaking the tie with her family. In returns, Carol's parents would make a short speech and give the couple 2 red envelopes. So, the items needed during the morning are, pillows (so to cushion the couple's knees), tea cups, trays and red envelopes.

The funny bit is that no one seems to know exactly what are the correct customs. Carol's family is Taiwan based, they have some ideas about how things should be conducted (such as Carol's brother has to pour a bucket of water after the car while they drive off to our home, to symbolise a married daughter just like water poured cannot be recovered). My mom has some ideas from her region, such as getting a well-off middle age woman (a woman with hudsband, kids, parents on both sides) to umbrella Carol to the car to shelt off the evil spirit.

When in doubt, my brother would call Grace's mother, who is almost 70 something. Such as, "do you know what the bride has to bring home 3 days after the marriage? The sweet rice balls soup? How many bows are needed?". Grace's mom would then call all her friends to gather information and give Mankit a summary like "Oh, nowaday people think it is very inconvenient to bring home liquid soup in car, you can substitue it with 12 round apples. Round shape has the same meaning as completeness and apples are sweet". Ah... that's how custom has evolved over generations.

Anyhow, my name only appeared in the script at page 3. My only task is to avoid seeing Carol until she is in Liao's family. My mother's explanation is so that you two can get alone with each other. Fine, I was then sent to run the errands while the whole ceremonies happening, Carol and Mankit kneed again in front of my parents after coming home and so on. But I have a important task to do is to buy Bento boxes for lunch (only then, I am allowed to see everyone, sigh).

I was instructed to buy the lunch boxes from a shop, which I couldn't find. I was not very familiar with my neighborhood. Painicking of being late, I drove to 7-11 and bought all their cheapo lunch boxes (7-11 has branded it as citizen lunch box). When I turned up at my door step, everyone is cracking up because my brother had predicted what I am going to bring home.

Fine then... After a whole half day of hassle, we finally got Carol.

As my mom, Grace, XiaoHo, Carol, Mankit and I were having the leisure breakfast in our little community coffee shop the next morning, XiaoHo looked at Carol and then turned to Grace "Today she is not pretty". This little brat, he likes woman with heavy make up and false lashes.

When the upper beam is not level, the lower beam tilts

This is an old Chinese saying, implying if the parents or seniors are not setting up the correct model for the yongsters, they tend to wrong doings.

One day I went back to Taipei, Mankit was so eager to show me something and took me to the kitchen. He kept saying this old Chinese saying which I didn't quite comprehend at the time. He then pulled open 4 or 5 carboard doors that is around knee to hip height. And then, XiaoHo came in, quickly closed all doors... with his right foot. I then realised that my mom sometimes close the carboard door or touch off the TV set switch with her foot while she is holding XiaoHo.

Headscarf

In Kuala Lumpur, most mulsim women wear headscarves, even the 3 year old has the tiny scarf around her head. But it came in different shades and styles. Why is the religion so afraid of women exposing their hair? The common answer comes like it is to prevent provoking men's sexual thoughts. If men are so brainless that they can be aroused by women's hair? The teaching is really beyond me.

However, according to newsweek (in responding to some European countries' upheavals of headscarves), wearing headscarves was not in the original Muslim doctrines. It starts with the Arabic women trying to distinguish themselves from those non-believers.

I just feel that is the very useful tool to impede a girls' freedom. It is hard to imagine a headscarf-wearing girl going backpacking in south American countries... Well, she would die of starvation because nothing is halal anyways.

Wanatabe Junichi

I am reading Junichi's (渡辺淳一) essay collection. This guy was famous in writing story about extra-marital affair. One of his very popular work was the story a couple, each of them married to someone else, decided to end their shameless happiness in death. The novel was successful largely because Junichi has meticulously described the extreme ecstatic state of this couple's immoral sex. For them, there is no way out. Even if there is a way to be together, they can only see the passion and flame to die down. Thus, they decide to stop their whole world at the climax.

Junichi has some quite interesting ideas, such as being honest is never what we, as human beings, are very good at, that's why we were repeatedly told to be honest.

The Curse of Golden Flowers

It has been very very long time since I walked out of a movie last time. But I have not been to any movie for quite a while. Given the cynical level I am in now, I should be walking out of movies a lot more often if I were a regular movie goer.

I think this movie makes the end of Zhang YiMou. He is running out of tricks to lure westerners, not even Gong Li and Chow Yun Fat can breath hope into this piece of trash. There is no logic, no reasoning of why the king (Chow Yun Fat) wanted to kill the queen (Gong Li). Most scenes were taken place in the too colourful, obsessively ornated interior of a palace. I wonder how that feels to wake up in such a place after a long night of drinking.

The history background was all so wrong, since the background was set in the late Tang dynasty (around 9th centry), where the empire was split into 5 large clans and 10 other smaller clans. And then, the palace scene was film in forbidden city, which only became the capital after Yuan dynasty (13th century). The only eye-catching scene is how those parlor maids dressed in Tang dynasty fashion, showing off their breasts in everyway they can. They dress in something very similar to the western corset, which squeezes up the 2 pockets of white meat, that trembles while the ladies walk. It is actually a scary scene, I am telling you. But I admire Zhang's effort to find so many pretty looking girls with delicate skin.

If Zhang is trying to impress the west with the fantasy-like late-Tang dynasty culture, he should have paid more attention to the details. Even I can tell, in the close up, the handkerchif Gong Li used to dry up her sweat looks like the cheap nylon sold in sourvernir shop in Bejing Capital airport.

The Mask of Mr. Polite

It is not unnatural to see a someone wearing mask on the street/office/department stores in Japan. It might be because the person is coming down with a cold or just sneezes too much. I think it is because that you might spray the bacteria when sneezing and get your colleagues sick as dog for days. Whether it works or not is not important, it is more important that you have shown that you care.

My mom said that she felt that she was scrutinised when touring around Japan few years ago. Well, I guess that's because she definitely looks different from other Japanese middle age women yet she is not western looking. Perhaps the scrutinisation is more like a wondering, what is made of this middle-age women with no make up, no heels and no hudsband accompanied?

I have read about Japanese culture, such as that lady should not make a sound when peeing and it is impolite to blow your nose in public. It is all coming about the guilty feelings that my action might make others to feel uncomfortable. Perhaps the rule of thumb is "if you don't want to be treated in a certain way, then prevent yourself from treating others the way". However, I guess I prefer the girl in the stall next to me is peeing rather than playing with the toilet flush (they overuse the flush to hide the sound). How the custome started at the first place? That would be a interesting thing to know.

Anyhow, I try not to hold it in if there is someone else in the lady's room in the office. I would clean the toilet seat, pretend to struggle with the zipper, etc until the other person has left. I guess I am more self-concious then I thought I am.

The Essential of Being Honest

Yanagi san and Akiko took me out playing pachinko at my last night in Tokyo. I am really curious to see the weird elements in Japan. It is said, the combination of pinball and slot machine place is the hangout for them. I even read the section in the tour book explaining how to play Pachinko. "Smoking is compolsury because you have nothing to do other than letting the little steel balls eat away your investment". But we went to the big arcade, which is not a real Pachinko place, because Yanagi san thinks that suits my age more. Sigh...

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I am always very curious about what are behind morality. What makes us tell right from wrong (whether to do the right thing or wrong is the other question). I guess we all feel the pressure to behave in a way that's acceptable by our society. Following the rules or common sense would guarantee you not being bother by stranger's dirty looks, elders' displine or law enforcement.

The moral standard is then formed by the rule - I am a good man/woman suppose doing all that agreed by society. Cool, women wearing scarf is moral, because it is a sin not to wear it in Koram. Actually, that's the only counter example that comes to my head at the moment.

But I was told a piece of information that washing your hands after toilet is actually washing away the anti bacteria substance our hands produce. It is not good for your own health, but I am not sure whether it is going to be a threat to those who religiously wash their hands. Do we do this because we are concerned to bring disease to others?

At least for me, washing hands after toilet is a show for your fellow toilet goers. Nevertheless, I've grown used to washing hands even there is no one else to inspect me (Relax, my friends, my hands were alright clean when picking up the french fries from your plates).

Anyways, I asked people whether you would give back the extra change suppose the teller has made a mistake. Most people do. I think that's because we subconciously want to be given this allowance when we make such a silly mistake? What if you realise the world is not as forgiving as we were told? Would you still give back the change?

Nationalism Franatics

I have read somewhere that a Japanese soldier's young wife killed herself right next to her sleeping husband so that he can wake up in her blood because she wanted to encourage him to completely devote himself to the country and not to be distracted by missing her. He became the cruelest warrior in China during world war II.

Hotel Survival Guide (2)

6. A pair of scissors

You will never know how important it is to have a pair of scissor in your room. And it is quite odd to ask for one from the front desk (they gave you this strange look as if you are going to disect some frogs in the bath tub). Anyhow, it is just so useful beyound your imagination. For example, you just bought a pair of nice jeans and really want to wear it to the pub downstair. However, the price tag stripe was so strong that the mediocre toy scissors in the sewing kit wouldn't do a thing. Or you would like to cut/pry/stab open the canned peanuts from the mini bar (for some reason, the easy-open can is very easy and the handle is very easy to break). You just need to be careful that a pair of scissor might destroy your plan not to check in any luggage.


7. Nail files

The worse way to find out that there is a sprinter coming out of your thumb nail is when the sprinter pulls a tiny, wheeny thread out of your stockings when pulling them up/down. You can basically do nothing but feel depressed for a minute. Man, that's the second pair today. You need to fix any split ends or suspicious disarray in your nails, aggressively and obssessively.

8. hat and socks made of thick, warm, soft materials

Remember the stronger than normal air conditioning (as if electricity doesn't cost them a dime, of course, we pay for it). There is a danger to get very very sick by catching a cold, especially in Kuala Lumpur. The temperature contrast is too huge. Toward the end of my stay, I had to switch off the air condition at night, however, feeling suffocated in the morning. The trick I use is to wear a wool hat and socks, put on my only jumper before going to bed. This really works!

9. Chopsticks

I once bought some nice cup noodles back to the hotel, thinking to spend my night with happy web surfing and hot noodles. When my favorite web blog is on and noodles are done, I only came to realise that the d*mned 7-11 didn't give me chopsticks. My only 2 choices are my fingers and the pen. I used the pen at the end because the noodles was really too hot, hey, I chew my pen anyways, what is the difference?

10. Painkiller

Do I have to say anything more about this?

11. Wine opener

I remember one time my friends and I were trying anything handy to open a wine bottle desperately in the skiing carbin. We used screwdriver, hair pin, steak knifeThe cork remains were floating on top of the surface of wine in our glasses and bottle.

Hotel Survival Guide

If you are planning to stay in one hotel for more than 1 week, there are quite a few items that you should not forget to bring with you:

1. Super antiseptic cream, perferrably with steroid

Forget about how bad steroid can do to your skin, you don't want to set yourself in a completely unfamiliar environment with a huge acne on your nose (or near your nose). You need that confidence to arm your timidity in a foreign country. The cream can be used heavely at the pimple spot, be careful not to spread it around. Gee, just let this bit of skin burned, I don't care, as long as the pimple doesn't grow larger due to infection.

2. Toothpaste

The hotel toothpaste doesn't work, as simple as that. No matter how hard you brush, you cannot make foam out of it. You start to wonder whether you have mistaken the lotion for toothpaste, in fact, they taste like it, too.

3. Shampoo and conditioner

Those shampoo/conditioner/body washer bottles contain essentially identical matters. I think those are made of recycled real shampoo, conditioner, body wash and soap. The shampoo can easily destroy your hair. Remember I once washed my hair with body wash before moving out of London? How my hair became tangled, sticky and hard as steel wire? That's how I feel about hotel shampoo.

4. Very strong body lotion

Because most hotel rooms are seriously sealed (afraid of guests jumping off the window?). The constantly activated aircondition is really bad for your skin. My case was a bit serious, I start to grow rashes all over my thighs and back. It was really hard to suppress the urge to scratch during the meeting.

5. Gloves and detergent

2 weeks is relative long time to go without clean socks, you read the price list of the laundry service, such as 5 dollars for a pair of socks, I think, most people would decide to make the 5 bucks by drawning them in the bathroom sink. It is really handy to have a pair of thick gloves (so you can use the extra hot water to make sure all the genes are killed) and the real detergent (strickly speaking, body soap smells nice but very weak in cleaning fabric).


to be continued....

Luxury Goods Heaven

Tokyo office are very socialable. Hiroko has taken me to play walleyball (not valleyball), drinking/eating was happening almost every day, I start to switch into vacation mode... Well, that makes me feel so guilty

We finished at least 10 bottles and started singing together on the street on our way back (I also provided the backup dancing entertainment).
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I think it has a lot to do with my upbringings, I always feel reluctant to pay extra bucks for quality, no matter how small the amount is. My mom had not demanded a lot about her living space until recently (trust me, you won't feel like to decorate your home if it is an open space for all your husband's relatives/friends/business partners). Besides, we had to live a very economical life. It doesn't seem wrong at that time, I thought every one is doing the same thing. Mankit and I grew up strong and healthy, no complaints.

During my personality molding period in Canada, the people I knew were mostly penny counting. Auntie Feng is the only exception, she is the true believer of "you have to treat yourself well". Anyways, some of my friends were co-op students, the work term's earning is used to pay for the study term. Some were VISA students, cutting down the living expense means less the burden on their parents' shoulders in Taiwan/HK.

It almost became a competition among us, how to sustain the minimum student life yet have great time. Things were not getting better after I started working. I don't know what my Toronto friends have become, but I still live in the poor grad-student mode although I can definitely afford to treat myself better.

If I am in the supermarket, I would be drawn to the SALE section by an unexplainable force. Although there is usually bad-looking fruits or almost-overdue produce. I always try to get the cheap cut even though the difference is less than 10 yuan (slightly more than a dollar). When shopping for shampoo, it is unthinkable for me to buy from the BODY SHOP or the alike. They are 3 times more expensive than those chemical-ridden, mass-production shampoo. But after reading the price tag, I have changed my mind and gone back to buy cheapo shampoo 3 or 4 times. I hope I can success in buying the natural, organic shampoo next time. After reading the price list of the laundry service in the hotel, I decided to wash them in the bath tub. This really doesn't make sense to me, because the client is paying. I cannot explain why I love to abuse myself for no one's benefit. Why I do not know how to justify the marginal values purchased by the extra money? Or if I know but don't want to admit it is going to make my life better?

I think this is really the key to my whole attitute about spending. I * AM * NOT * CONFIDENT *. I don't trust myself that I am making a good deal and it is going to make me happy. Perhaps I hate to be haunted by the "spending-unwisely" experience, I have unconsciously washed out all my shopping impulse?

I envy those who can spend few hundred bucks on a handbag or a jar of night cream. They are so certain about the what they want... I guess life is a series of decision making, and shopping is one of them. We are all trying to make the best bargain by gathering information, waiting for the right time and then strike. I think I am just lack of training in the shopping department.

Laundry Disater

I am really not very good in doing other people's laundry (since all my clothes are already colour and size stablised). Peggy's mother's trousers have shrank into Peggy's size. Not only that, the left is 2 inch shorter than the right.

River Crabs

The famous River Crabs. They are considered the delicacy in late Autum. This is the time when the crabs grow fat to get ready for the long winter. Their meats tastes very light and sweet, goes very well with the mixture of rice vinegar, shredded young ginger, little suger and soy sauce. You have to eat a pair, male and female.

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Peg is making me shark fin soup and I have to go shop for the chicken for the soup base. The requirement is the organic farm chicken, less than 3 jin (1.5 kg). So I went to the chicken stall with a lot cages. I stood and observed, couldn't find any ready-killed chicken. I asked the stall keeper if you have any dead chicken.

"No, no, all of our chickens are nice and fresh and healthy" Replied the keeper in nervous voice.

I really didn't want a chicken to die because of me but had no other choice. But the chicken soup is really delicious.

ShangHai Peg

The second morning after arrived in ShangHai. Before putting on the foundation and mascara.

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I flew to ShangHai last Friday and have been very surprised by how similar ShangHai is to Taipei. Although this is not my first time here, I guess the contrast was more impressive after living in Beijing for more than 6 months. I remember when visiting ShangHai 2 years ago, I was so annoyed by the constant blaring of honk. Amazingly, I am now considering ShangHai streets are so peaceful and quiet.

The taxi drivers are more civilised (some of them even dress in suits and wears white gloves), the interior of taxis are generally clean and ordorless. I was told that taxis are heavily regulated. If you express any doubt whether the driver has taken you to a longer route, one yuan will be returned to you without argument. Your complaint to higher authority might make them lose their taxi license.

The city itself is more cosmopolitan and modern. Oh well, more shopping places to go. But people generally pay more attention to their appearance. The foods taste more delicate, with less salt and grease. The difference between north and south is dramatic.

I have read an article explaining the mentality difference between north and south. There is one quite interesting example. By law, taking a passenger in bycicle is forbidden. However, parents need to send their kids to school with this type of cheap and convenient transportation. In Beijing, parents carry their young with the bikes and policemen would choose to neglect the illegal act. In ShangHai, the city has passed a law to allow carrying a passenger, but the rider has to push the bike when crossing intersections.

Scaming southerners are everywhere in the world.

10 hours of sleep

Not feeling too well after coming back from KL. I guess the drasic change of temperature doesn't do me too good. Plus, the central heating didn't start until last night. My allergy/cold-like syndrom was getting bad, the violent sneezings woke me up almost every night.

The heating finally came and I guess my body has got used to the flu virus. I finally had a good night sleep, from 8pm to 6am. Wow... I can really sleep.

Crooked Taxi Driver

I cannot help but think all Texi drivers are somewhat crooked, perhaps we should exclude those in Japan or Britan. I have got a lot more unpleasant experience taking taxi after moving back to Asia, maybe, by large number theory, I am bound to meet with the nasty lots.
I think all texi drivers are trying very hard to make extra buck or two, which makes them, ur..., very aggressive. I read that the KL texi should run by meter, so I filtered those without meters. Finally I got on one texi with meter, but was told the meter is broken while departing the cab. I had to pay whatever comes up in the driver's random guess. Some drivers would purposely take you on a grand detour, the upside of it is that you can have a tour... but with someone you don't really know and fear what he might do to squeez out more money out of your pocket.
I am especially nasty to those taxi drivers without licenses and try to recruit customers from the street. Maybe they are just earning a living, but for some strange reason, they all look like criminals. In Beijing, at every train station, those dress in filthy clothes and flip-flops, not very well shaved, haircut at least 3 month overdue, would approach you saying "want a ride?". That scares the hell out of me without fail. I usually just walk away pretending not hearing anything at all.
This morning, while I am trying to leave for the airport, I had to take a taxi to the airport express train station. I would have taken the public transportation if they operate before 6. Anyhow, I walked out of the hotel where a line of taxis were waiting.. wait a minute, not in the destinated taxi waiting area but the road side. I wasn't very sure so I ask the porter, who indicated those taxis are ok (guess he has to live peacefully with thosenon-licensed drivers). Anyhow, I got on one cab, which charge me 3 times out of the normal rate since there is no meter. I just got off the cab and shout to the porter "they don't run by meter".
While waiting for my official cab, the negotiation continued. I insisted my official rate and amazingly, they wouldn't give up. My official cab finally came. To the KL Sentral, fine. During the ride, I was so worried again for no obvious reason. Does he understand me? Does he show me around the city again? Thankfully we arrived in the central station fairly quickly and the \fair was surprisingly low. I was so happy that I have made the right choice and then he turned to me saying this is the night rate, I have to pay double of the meter price because it is before 6am. Of course, no receipt.

Understanding English

I was woken up by a phone call around midnight. Not expecting to receive any calls, I quickly picked up the phone and threw back the receiver because I don't feel like to explain. Several theories were turning inside my head, who could that be? I made the conclusion it must be a wrong number.

But I couldn't fall back sleep, so I switched on the TV and found that it is playing Alfie. The movie is so lousy. A limo driver can afford Gucci suits, Prada shoes and a spacious housing in west village? The director's main mission is to show off the prettiness of Ju Law (and every one around him). Apart from the amazing courtship skills Alfie demonstrated, the movie has accomplished nothing.

However, I find it very hard to understand the dialog while watching the movie with Malay subtitles.

Malaysia is Happy?

I had the impression that Malaysian people are all very happy. They seem carefree in a way. I guess the language has a lot to do with this impression. The very surprising thing to learn is that the people from the three different major ethnic groups speak English with the same ancent. The short, impatient tone with only simple words (if the sentence can be done with kids language, no one seems to bother to put it in a formal and more adult-like). Things seem to be decided rather quickly comparing to other counties I have worked.

The local newspaper writes with a similar dynamics. Some of them reads like the example essays from high school. For example, there was an article about animation, it starts as "what makes a good animation? The good story line or the excellent technology?" Oh la la... That should be the sentence in my blog!

The Chinese in KL speak Cantonese or Mandarine in similar fashion, sentences are short and simple, with the funny upward tone at the end. I think among all other oversea Chinese, those in southern east asia have the broadest exposure to languages. They can speak at least 3 Chinese local dialets (Fukjian, Cantonese, ChaoCheow) , Malay and English. Some of them even knows bunjabi (spelling?)

The bank of Islam only hires Malay people obviously because I cannot see any Indians or Chinese. That was confirmed by the project manager, WeiVoon. This is a shocking discrimination if happening in US or UK. WeiVoon told me in very low voice that how unfairly Chinese have been treated. Or, rather, how the locals are being favored by government policies. Well, people like WeiVoon with Chinese origin (the 3rd generation), have to work extra hard to get to where she is now.

But as a middle class, you have a house, steady job and enough saving to afford a oversea holidays, whatelse would you ask more of?

Aquarium

Spending my 31st birthday in the hotel room, trying hard to imagine where the camera shot is going to have me inside the picture.

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It seems every male visitor in KL is having a good time. On the streets near the hotel, there are aways girls standing around, waiting to be picked up. You just need to be careful because sometimes those are lady boys (they can be identified by deep voice and masculine facial figure, however, they are extremely beautiful and slender). Quite a few westerners hold those small Malay women under their arms, almost like little girls carrying dolls. Where is the fun for female visitors? I have been thinking, what if man prostitutes are available and the act of picking up men from street become as acceptable as picking up women, would it become a business? I read an article once (maybe from Jim Roger's capitalist's venture), some European women go to Africa so to have some actions, and their bring condoms from their own countries.

I went to the KL aquarium this afternoon, fishes swimming is very theraputic. I cannot help but thinking most of them are already mental. They don't need to go around for food, confined in a small space, what are they thinking? Of course you cannot read fish's emotion from their face, but I cannot help thinking if they would express their ecstatics by swimming faster, roaming up and down from one end of the tank to another.

Or when they are really really bored, would they just stand still, you have to look very hard to see the movement of their fins. There is a type of Amazon fish, with a duck-like mouth, called paddle fish. They have not evolved for 500 million years. They swim with their mouth open, blindly sieving everything comes in their way. Could they spit out the food they don't like? There is also a very interesting English word I learnt today, those who study fish is called "ichthycologiest". I guess Manjit is going smile if he reads my blog.

On many streets in KL, there are so many different types of fruit trees. Coconuts, mangos and some local fruits I cannot name (but eaten). They are persistently growing inspite of ugly human intervention. Very deterministic.

I am staying in a very lousy hotel that has no internet service in guest rooms. It is all because the gynaecology convention is taking place in KL. There should be increasing number of young western men doing the pub claw at night, would they be interested in girls at all?

Touch Chinese Women

I would say woman rights in China is uncomparable among all other Asia countries. A lot of mportant government positions are taken by female, as I have described before, women in China are really tough.

When the sociaty doesn't require women to be womanly, you don't think it is important to have anner. You can see women shaking legs when sitting, spitting on the street, taking newspapers o the toilet so to tell everyone you are about to shit, walking like a man although dressing up. All these are really puzzling yet interesting.

As women and men behave alike, the line between hudsband and wife role in a Chinese household become also fussy. I only seeing it as an outsider, however, I had a chance to listen to what Chinese men think of those Taiwanese or Hong Kong wives quitting jobs and staying home after marriages.

He highly resented such behaviors and thought there is nothing wrong with a stronghead wife. His reason is so she can carry half of the household on her shoulder, which make his life much aslier. A very refreshing point of view...

The Rudest Air Hostess I have ever met

On my way to KL, I have to take the domestic chinese southern airline to GuangZhou for a ayover. There I've seen the rudest air stuardess. She is tall and slander, very pretty, however, good looking she is, she is impatient, without respect to the passengers and her own profession.

As I was boarding theflight, the carbin was very crowded and there is barely no room in the verhead compartment. I managed to squeeze in my hand carry while she stood over watching nd making the annoyed sounds like "tz, tz, tz". Such as she cannotbelieve I am bringing such a ig carry on to inconenient her peace. She speaks with thick old Beijing ancent, which blurs all words under the bottom of the mid part of a tongue. In short, she behaves like a adolescent boy please note, not a woman at all, I cannot see any womanly manner in her, which is very nteresting because she is very beautiful).

While distributing the meal, her tone of asking customers which meals were harsh and quizzical. I saw her throwing the meal tray back to the drawer when a fellow passenger asked for the lternative, and murmured "You demanded the alternative only now", the mumbling voice is ade loud so that every one can hear.

I am only curious how people can bear this type of treatment? Or is it because the customers are sometimes harsh so that the service has to be correspondingly bad?

In a restaurant, you can see people shouting at the waitrons for water or manu. There are no execuse me" or "please" or "thank you" (only in very rare condition do those words appear in onversations with strangers). Some mainlanders are really being looked at in Hong Kong airport restaurant when they do the same trick to the wait staff.

Is it true that Chinese is uncivilised to strangers yet too friendly to accquintances? Perhaps in he west, people are keeping rather the same distance to everyone, near or far. However, Chinese has drawn the very clear line between people known and unknown.

Chinese Medicine

I have always wanted to share some of my findings about Chinese medicine, however, this topic is too big and too complex. I can hardly imagine how I can explain this in one blogging article, should try my best though.

The root of Chinese medicine is really the balance of Ying and Yang. The two has their operating turf yet need to cooperate to metabolise (the Chinese medicine term is to vaporise, of course, not caused by high temperature in this context). The five elements -water, fire, metal, wood, soil are associated with kidney, liver, lung, stomach, heart. However, in the context of Chinese medicine, lung is not strictly only the organ, for example. It includes the skin and hair, which means everything involves in desposing waste. The system definition is not as clear cut as western medicine study. On top of the main five, there are another 6 containers, which are in the supporting roles. If the main fives are the kings, these 6 are the knights.

The five elements helps out one the other and surpress one the other and the same time. When sickness strikes, it is largely caused by one of the five elements gets too aggresive. The cure is to activate the element that's supposed to supress it and slow down the element that's supposed to breed it. Yet remember those 5 elements are also interwinded, if you keep thinking down how you can achieve the effect by controlling its breeding element and supressing element, you are going to fall into a frantic cycle!

Very neat, some of the example shows that constipation is linked to your lung. And how the doctor cured the labour complication by feeding the women the soup of a type of plants, whose fruits drop easily when mature.

Vicky's Wedding

Oops, I was brought to the state to sing a song by Vicky...














Very frightened, I made Vicky sing instead...

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In Chinese Wedding, it is a norm to play some silly games so to provide entertainment to the guests. I believe you would understand what I mean if you have watched Ang Lee's "the wedding banquet". Or if you are my faithful blog reader, the pictures from my cousin's wedding from last Christmas could also be the evidence.

I have seen very brutal games, such as making the bride move a raw egg inside the gloom's trousers, entering from leg and coming out from the other. The egg should come out intact. The higher level is to make her do it without hands!

Vicky had everythng under her control, I mean, she plans the entertainments herself, letting no chance for the guests to come up with any surprises. She even reversed the roles playing, gave out red envelope (with small notes in it) for those lucky guests to pick. But the guest had to perform, according to the instruction in the back of the envelope. I won my 20 RMB with great difficulty.

The foods were served in very different fashion than that in Taiwan. All foods from the appetisers to desserts almost came at the same time, the plates leveled with each other. I think it is more to show the abundance of foods rather than the taste of them.

Where would you sit

If taking a cab ride by yourself? I found another odd thing about Beijing is that many choose to sit next to the cab driver instead the back seat. Even girls do that. That's very puzzling... I thought the passenger side's seat is the worse seat if riding a cab along.

My Brain is Empty, too much Agatha Christie

We went for an easy hike on Sunday. The Xiang Mountain in the west end of Beijing city. The weather was much better than last time Alvaro and I went. We also picked the easy route instead of the 2,500 steps uphill trail.

However, the crowd was so unbearable. There were people everywhere, it is more crowded then the city center. We had to climb the 3-meter high wall and sneaked out to the other side of the wall (the park was fenced by the wall) in order to escape the madness.
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I like to observe those successful people. In my definition of being successful, they are happy about what they do, do it very well and the monetary reward comes as if that's something they didn't expect to get initially.

They are usually crazy, in a way, they are almost paranoid about their theories, ideas or right doing. unmeasurably confident, and consequently, very influential. The bit of craziness is not easily seen in many (I think the craziness is sometimes driven by deep unsatisfaction about what they are or what they are in). Once the craziness has taken them a step forward, they become more and more confident in their abnormality. Gee, the wheel start rolling....

Got to have passion, without passion, they look/act almost like a fool.

Return of Joey Liao

Wait, something is missing.....










Jen is missing! Jen is so busy growing protein in her lab but found a copy of Jen's Canadian citizenship card, so to bring it with us in our pajama party.

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Going back to Toronto after 5 years is such a thrill to me. Everything looks so familiar yet so distant. I still remembered my way around town, however, not the restaurants. I didn't have much luck eating my way around town until my aunt came to my rescue. She knows all the good Chinese restaurants in uptown, she even remember what to order and what not to order in every single one of them.

All my cousins have grown into young women, I still remember them as they were 12 years old. Nevertheless, they both look 12 years old. I was so shocked to realise Sandy has a boy friend (we had DimSum together, but I didn't give him a hard time, good Joey). However, Jennifer pays more attention to the protein then boys (quite a few of broken hearts).

Sandy obviously has a wider social circle. She has a friend who complains about everything in Toronto is mediocre, she claimed, even the scandals between politician are mediocre. I think there is nothing wrong of being average, I was just wondering how the hell I survived in Toronto before. Sandy takes the double majors in literature and biology. She works in the school newspaper as an editor. A very happy kid.

Those are 2 of my favorite Chinese who don't speak or write Chinese.

Hastenly Spken English

It is very interesting to listen to people talk in Kuala Lumpur. They rarely finish a whole sentense. The receipiant would always interpolate and acknowlege. Communication without full communication seems like a culture. It is almost natural not to express yourself fully.

The rapid rythm of speaking accentuate this impatient movement in conversation. You almost feel you are stupid if wanting to finish a statement with clear pronouciation and normal tempo.

Revenge of a Panda

Gu Gu, the panda in Beijing Zoo. Of course, Gu Gu is much bigger than this now
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The drunk Chinese guy felt the urge to hug Gu Gu, the Panda. He jumped into the panda enclosure and got bitten by Gu Gu in his left leg.
Don't hug anything you think cute.

Fear of Money

I went through the horrifying experience of wiring money out of China. It is not possible for foreigners to buy dollars with Chinese Yuan, unless you can provide 5 various types of documents to prove that your Yuan deposit comes from a earning, paid by a foriegn company. I then asked help from my Aussie colleague who needs to convert the dollars to Yuan.

I know the exchange rate is less than 8. I said I should buy the dollars with this exchange rate. She suggested otherwise but I declined her offer as the token of my gratitue. I then went to check the real exchange rate and found that I am losing almost 100 dollars in this deal. If I should be cool not to care about this? But that's a lot of money! I went to her, fully embarrassed and expressed my will to adjust the exchange rate. I felt like a complete idiot! Luckily for me, she didn't mind at all.

Man, this is really a good lesson for me. I guess sometimes I am too eager to express a good will money-wise. Nevertheless, I sometimes find myself being trapped in a very ackward situation by my not-at-the-right-time-and-right-place generosity. Perhaps I should just smile and geniunly say "thank you very much". And find some other opportunity to repay the favor. I am just too impatient.

With USD cash in hand, I was so shocked to realise that I can only deposit and wire 5,000 dollars maximum a day.

Clipping Nails in Public

This is one of the most untoleratable thing for me. I cannot figure out why people can clip their nails in the train, in the office, in the book store or in a coffee shop. One clip after another, each crispy sound cuts through the air almost creating a paper-cut like sensation on my skin. I cannot explain exactly why it is so getting on my nerve. Clipping nails is supposed to be very private thing to do?

What do Girls Talk About?

Girls talk about boy friends at their early twenties. The girl gang I hang out with now talk about wedding bangquets, marriage life and then, inevitably, babies. The shocking piece of information Grace told me is that we will be talking about extra-marital affair (wether it is his or hers) in about 5 years time.

Washing Up After Number 2?

Poor Nir lost his racksack in a half-baked taxi ride (he was driven off the cab because the taxi driver wouldn't understand where he wanted to go and he forgot to take his racksack with him, ha ha). This is the second week of Nir's miserable stay in Beijing.
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When I was little, we had guests from Malaysia, Indonisia or Thai. Those were my father's relatives and for some reasons they all came to stay with us when visiting Taipei. Of course, they were all telling us how the natives in those far away countries clean themselves with the right hands and eat with the left hands.

I finally came to understand this is one of the muslim's behaviors. In Kuala Lumur, every toilet stall, regardless it is the squatter or wester style toilet) is equiped with a seperate host, well, I guess, people use it to clean the rearends. The floor is constantly wet, and cleaning ladies linger in the bathroom to mop dry the floor.

In Kuala Lumpur, you can see the amazing concoction of people with different ethinical origin and religions. Malays, Chinese and Indians all speak each other's language, eat each other's traditional foods and work side by side.

Acceptance

I am preparing for a job assignment in Kuala Lumper next week, and just started to read loads of documents compiled by other consultants.

As reading a 26-page doc, I gradually lost patience to comprehand the passage toward the end. I am not panicking at all, which I might get angry with myself few years ago. I am taking it easy because I understand I have to read it again later on. What's the big deal I couldn't get through it the first time? It might not seen efficient but that works very well for me.

Exploring the Difference

I spoil myself a massage treat every weekend. I always ask for girls and, interestingly, I manage to get a new massues every time. Could it be because the turn over is high or it simply because they have a mass number of massues waiting for work?

Anyhow, although they are all very well trained (not only they can all accurately massage the "chi" point in your body but also their techniques are almost identical), you can still feel the subtle difference. It is almost exciting to explore different massage styles. I must be mad.

GuanXi 201

I was reading another book, describing China as a big secret society. During the small agriculture society, there is limit room for GuanXi to develop because people are quite self sustainable. However, when the economic has grown to certain scale, supply/demand driving market is not yet mature and the government has not yet developed an efficient way to liquidify goods/labor, GuanXi is almost the only way to survival.

The book has taken the GuanXi analysis into a second level. We all know that connection is a big part of success, success in making business, getting good jobs, receiving a proper medical attention or sending your kids to the right schools. I think this is true every part of this planet. Chinese world has used it to an extreme, is that all?

The secret social analogy the author has proposed is quite illuminating. In a secret society, honesty and honor are the pillars to build a name. With a name, you can borrow trust, friends, women and wealth without any tangible collaterals. But you put your name on the line. However, chances are you don't need to return those. Being driven by the desire to become somebody, people start to boast, bluff, vainity follows (quite well explain Modern China).

The way GuanXi is built up is quite like an art. It is constructed on top of favor debts. The timing to return the favor and the amount to return are both very critical. The various concoction send different messages to the creditor. For example, if you return it immediately with the equal value, that means you do not want to build up a GuanXi with the creditor. Normally you don't return the favor in equal value, which indicates you and the creditor is merely doing a deal (absolutely not acceptable by Chinese). Taking some time to return the debt tells the creditor that you truely accept his help and geniunly grateful. This might not seem clear cut if this returning goes around several times. However, that was intended effect. The two persons involved know clearly who owns what and how much. GuanXi is then nurished and grown.

Clean Aired Beijing

We had the unexceptional good weather in Beijing this past weekend. The sky is so clear that I can see some mountains miles away from my bedroom windows. The temperature is just about right, even a bit chilly at early morning and evening. I couldn't resist the temptation to go out cycling on the big streets at night. Chang'an road lies between the Forbidden city and Tianmen squre is really huge, riding really fast pass Forbidden city is really fun.

On my way back, I rode past the Beijing Friendship store, which was the only store open to foriegners before 80's. I recalled a story about the saleswoman who was so irritated by a customer who merely asked her a question. They quarelled and the saleswoman was so angry (I don't know why) that she hit the customer on the head with the ice cream bucket. The customer ran and she started chasing him because she wanted to hit him on the back as well.

Don't ask me why those women who work for the state-owned business are so obnoxious to customers. They never laugh and seem to hate everyone. Of course I have met some friendly and nice saleswomen. But very few.

Mirror and Inspiration?

My four new friends. They are really cool in cleaning the strangely stubborn stains in the kitchen and bathroom. I am really wondering how people in the past survive without those chemicals?

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The Beijing project has come to an end and I bid the 8 to 10 working hour fairwell this week. I went home around 7 and didn't know what to do really. Really fancy a drink or 2, talking nonsense but find no local drinking partners.

I was really thrilled to go to a pub with a colleague, who just came to Beijing the first time for this project. We went to the pub I have been to several times, a terrace on top of a 5 story building. Not until we reached the top then I realised I managed to walk into the wrong entrance (they look identical, I swear). The pub was nice anyway (plus no one wanted to walk the 5 flights of stairs again) so we stayed.

I didn't realise anything wrong but, after a while, my colleague pointed out that there are quite a few male couples sitting very closely, chatting in very low voice. Then I noticed the bartenders are very femanine looking and extraordinarily nice. I mean, I am OK with it but the mosquitos were really annoying.

As I was talking to my colleague, I mean, I come to realise why some of my ex-colleagues didn't hang out much with people from the office. I was holding back and thought to myself, wow, I was really outspoken in the past. So, being mature means that you know the way to have a pleasant conversation and have fun without giving away too much of yourself?

The Ape in the Corner Office

Ok, Claire didn't give "Blink" a lot of credit, but I still think it is very fascinating. Indeed, "Blink" is talking about a lot of common sense, however, it is very helpful to some slow-nerved people like me. I guess it is due to my choice of career, I didn't get to deal with people on daily basis. Also, there has not been too much office politics falling upon me (good or bad?), I consider myself very slow in face reading. I am now staring at people's face more. However, interestingly that you can sometimes feel easy when talking and looking into the conversation partner's eyes yet sometimes uneasy.

In my retrospect, I don't think it has anything to do with power or ranking, it has more to do with personality clicking. I guess I unconsciously decide the tone, the voice and the mood of the conversation 2 seconds I meet with a person. Of course, if I feel the partner is ready to accept me, the whole process is going to be more fun. Eye contact is so crucial in expressing the green light. Once the trusty bonding builds up, ideas and coversations flows both ways.

But I did mis-interpret quite a few people before. I think that is because I didn't know myself well enough and, consequently, I didn't know the impact I have on people. Well we should feel grateful that this situation is only going to get better as experience accumulated, perhaps that's the only upside of getting old.

Another very interesting book by Richard Conniff, "The Ape in the Corner Office". The way we behave is really not too far away from Chimps...

Old Chinese saying goes "Even dogs dislike the 2 years old".

XiaoHo's first experience on Train. My mom and XiaoHo accompanied me to Hualian to visit Claire, who was transfered to the small town from Taipei a year ago.
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The journey itself was very fun. In Taipei train station, I was carrying the trolly, a bag for XiaoHo's food and cloth, my own backpack. Just imagine how you can carrythe folded buggie, try hard not to let the wheels stain your light colour trousers, carry 2 bags, keep an eye on the kid (and my mom who is holding him) and go up/down the stairway. My mom managed to find me some food to take on the train, otherwise I would be eating all XiaoHo's crackers and complain non stop.

It is impossible to read at all. I was reading an very interesting book about Finland. But XiaoHo interrupted my supposingly quiet, intellectual reading every 2 minutes. Getting all my mom's attention is not enough for him, he also wanted mine (How Greedy)! The situation got better after I threatened that I am going to send him over to the train manager.

I have to say something about our train manager, with whom after you meet, you would think there is still some hope in this country. He was a middle age man with bright teeth, thin and meticulous dressed. He bowed to the air when entering and spoke with gentle voice to ask for checking our tickets. He had the perfect manner and authority as a train manager. As I spoke to him, XiaoHo held my mom tight and hid his face in between her neck and shoulder. COWARD!

I am not saying Chinese way of running a state owned business or working for such business is not good, it is sometimes more interesting (Yeah, the Firefighter's wife said that she once met a train manager who was so relax that he slept on the train and share the lunch box with her group). However, it was really a great delight to see someone respects his profession, his passengers and himself so truely.

Hair Disaster Again

The moment I set foot into my home in Taipei, my mom was scrutinising my hair... And then Grace came up immediately with her hair cutting kit. I was brave enough to give my consent to let her cut my hair. The day after, I realised the back of my hair was not even and that really bothers me. So my mom did it again with the thining scissors and started trimming the back. I really started to worry when she commented "wow, the scissors are amazing, no matter how randomly I cut the hair, nothing truns too disastrous".

I ran to the hair dressor on Monday. She looked at my hair and said diplomatically "well, maybe you should not try to solve a problem all by yourself".

This is the fifth hair style over these 2 months.
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During my vacation, I decided to make the effort to re-connect with my friends. I called everyone on my phone list and see if we can arrange a time to meet up. Almost all of them made the effort to come out and play.

It is a very good feeling to know that we care about each other. Christine is 7 month pregnant. The once slim, anorexia type of girl ate like mania. Truely it was very entertaining to watch her eating. And JiaYi borke up her engagement because of the argument of dishes on their wedding banquet (we met up few days later, and she had this potential bf with her). YiLan's father's business was in danger because the father's partner tried to keep all the profit by nasty means. Irene's home building project is just started and her Japanese fiancee is coming over to Taiwan to propose to her family in the traditional way. Peggy is still the same, but getting used to the marriage life.

The other gang was the firefighter's wife and Jean and Echo. We hanged out at the pub they frequent and then roamed around the night market after few drinks. We went to the stall introduced by Jean. And we tried on T-shirts and stuff on the street (yeah, you have to ask your friend to hold down your shirt while pulling up new shirt you put on top of your own shirt. Speaking out of embarrassing personal experience... ). We bargained very hard with the owner, who was so funny to talk with (although he didn't give us a large enough discount). We then went to an shaved ice stall to split our closeth. Very fun night!

Grace and Kevin are the most close family friends. They are still good old Grace and Kevin. We almost eat together every meal (Of course, they are addict to my mom's cooking). XiaoHo is getting more mature and talks even more. However, he is constantly negotiating, never 100% rejecting your command. Although he wants something badly, he would say "If I can get this?" patiently or he would say "that doesn't sound too good".

Mankit's new home is great. He will be moving in in a couple of months. It is still under renovation. Carol's and my families met the first time for dinner in a Thai restaurant. And Dad was late again because he had to walk the dog.

Chinese Way

This is the good day when looking out of my flat

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I have got a collection of books discussing how Chinese develop, maintain, and survive in the "system". Chinese society is propelled by this system for thousands of years. Let me elaborate a bit on the "system". Well, GuanXi is a big part of it (for those who are not familiar with the phrase GuanXi, please google it, I think there is a book about Microsoft's experience in China named after this). GuanXi can be roughly translated into "connection". However, I think there is no other place in the world where connection is developed into such an extreme.

The backbond of Chinese society is not made of legal documents or religions or governing power. It is the unspeakable and unconsciously doing of Chinese way.

How was this system created? Some argue this is because of Confuscious' teaching, telling individualism has never been promoted, corporating is the key to survival. Another claim that there is no well-defined social order, laws can be bent anyway to theemperor's liking. Weak and powerless people had no other choice but to form many small circle, so to get the right information, so to get the proper support whenever it is needed.

In the west, heterosexual love plays important part of legends, folklords, poetry and music. However, in their Chinese counterparts, friendships are praised. Guess in Chinese minds, friendship can sustain living but love could do very little.

When those who know how to get to the top by making good connection, this individual might not need to have real talent. And the general public sickly consider this is the way of life. Perhaps this is why renaissance and industrial revolution didn't happen in China? Because we were all too busy to make the right connection?

Uniform Fitting

I should have add one more item to the strange things in Beijing list. The guards and policemens and soldiers in Beijing don't seem to care too much about having a well-fitted uniforms. The shirts and trousers are mostly too big. They have to use a belt to strapped to keep the trousers from falling and the excess being folded in the back. It makes them look like a kid in daddy's outfits.

Best Treat in Summer

My best friend when I was 6 had owned an electronic ice shaver. That was the best thing I had ever saw. The snow white ice came out of the shaver, piling up in a plate. I can imagine many nice cut-up fruits on them, with little syrup. But I have never owned one because my mom wouldn't allow such useless thing in her kitchen.

In fact, we grew up without soft drinks or snacks. We could only have the adult foods, meaning, rice and dishes. We had money for breakfast to buy some bread or milk. My mom cooked for the factory workers and company employees during lunch time while we had our lunch box in school. At dinner, we consumed the leftover from lunch and my mom filled up our lunch boxes with the leftover of leftover.

Our lunch boxes were made of steel. Rice in the bottom compartment and meat and veggies (from different dishes) were all mixed up in the upper one. The whole class's lunch boxes (50 something) were put into a big steel box and we took turn to take it to the steam room. They were steamed until lunch time, so the veggies were never green and everyone's food smelled indistinguishable.

Getting off the train

We went for another difficult hike yesterday. With 30 something celcius temperature, 90% humidity and hazy smoggy air.... The first few hundred steps were really tough. The air was so thick that I felt I had problem to breath properly. The sun was beating down on us, we all sweated much that the perspiration running down like small streams on our backs, necks and arms. The heat was most unbearable. My whole body felt heat coming out from inside and I was really worried if the heating sensation doesn't go away soon, I might be about to explode any second. We took a break every 500 steps, not until we reach the 1500 steps mile stone did the alarming situation was remedied.

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I alwasy tried to avoid contact with strangers in subway, never tried to get on a very crowded cart and so on. However, it seems unavoidable not to touch anyone when getting off the train. People tend to rush in and not letting the passengers off the train first.

I understand that's because people in the waiting area are pushed by those standing behind them. Of course, getting on the train first means a better chance of getting a seat. However, I still couldn't bear those who won't let me off the train first and almost want to hit them. Oh well, I never actually hit anyone but I hold my laptop bag in in front of me, and the elbow protruded outward. I guess I "accidentally" hit a guy really hard with my elbow in his chest this morning when defending my way out of the train. I think his face twisted a bit and I walked away the scene as fast as I can.....

Myth of Slogan

In Chinese world, you can see many many slogans in every day life. In Subway station, there are words telling you how well the station staff are politically educated, for example, "Designed and Operated for the People, Efficient and Advanced". Or "No Spitting in the Subway". On the street, you can see "Enforcing Laws without Tolerance" or "Building the Civilised Society". Interesting as if people behave better if they are reminded of what they are supposed to do (or what the government think they should do). We Chinese do believe in the power of words in any banner.

I have heard that there is a slogan saying "It is illegal to rob a police car".

Life of A Consultant

The Crystal Report Master, Alvaro, once commented that consultant doesn't have life when traveling so he/she could work abnormal hours to kill time.

This is definitely not true for our system engineer. One night, he was so bored that he called his driver (who takes care of his transportation in Beijing) to have dinner with him. Gee, that's really a creative thinking.

Hair Disaster

I had my punk rock chick style hair do two weeks ago. Every one thinks it is very nice but myself. I hate the spiky drag lock sticking out from my head in every direction. Cute? Maybe, but it is really not my style.

I hate it very every bit of my heart so I decided to fix it up on Saturday. I thought this is the simplest operation a hair dresser can do (plus I don't want to embarrass my hairdresser), so I walked into a no-name beauty salon and asked them to straighten it. It all went alright except the result was a complete disaster.

My hair was so soft and straight that it lacks the flexibility so they all limping on my head (not the best shape, either). I looked like I am wearing a hat. I spent a whole day worrying about it, thinking what I can do. Pretty much nothing. I was anxious, worried, cannot think of eating. It is amazing how a simple hair cut can affect your emotion.

I went back to the same beauty salon where I got my drag-lock done. Well, it is really embarrassing. I think my hairdresser must try very hard to refrain himself from laughing and try very hard to look sympathetic. Well, at least we can finally get the problem fixed.

Most Prestige Place

On Friday evening, Wei called me up to see if I am to join them to a night clue. Not quite a clubing person I am but I feel obliged to go. It is kinda shameful to be found out being alone at Friday night. Wei's friend from Taiwan works in this newly open club as a DJ and we are planning to throw him a vist.

My colleagues wore this subtle smile while they overheard where I am going. To my dismay, the very same location has the most famous KTV loundge in Beijing. It is famous because the loundge provides girls with the highest qualities, it is also the most expensive. It turns out the night club we are going is right next to the KTV loundge. The place is filled with middle-age, puff-belly business men. Interesting, they must come from the next door to have some fresh air.

We were sitting at the bar, chatting. And there are some very handsome women walking about, talking to men, and the number of people lingering around the bar decreasing. Those girls are of very good quailities, no kidding. I was told later that the KTV loundge got so famous that they no longer need to supply pretty, English-fluent, colleage graduates anymore.

Guess it is very common for business man to have fun that way in China. No matter you are with a group or staying in a hotel alone, you can always find something. Or it is everywhere and I have not be exposed to that side of the world? That is how brotherhood are built in between business makers? By going to the entertainment places and flirt with girls? Perhaps, I cannot imagine those talking about Peak Oil or C++ programming.

Stockings

This is another very interesting scene in Beijing. Women are sometimes wearing skin-tone, ankle-length stockings with sandals, heels, running shoes, slippers.

How strange the nylon is not comfortable, in a way, I think the cotton socks are more supiror in obsorbing sweat and provide traction. Ah-Ha! It must be of asthetic reason. However, it is so easy to see the supposingly invisible stocking because of the bends.

That is very puzzling.

Hiking With HongXia's Family

HongXia, her husband and RuanShuan. We went for a hike in Xiang Mountain on Saturday.... It is almost 600 meter high and 2,300 steps to the top. The humidity was high but it was quite enjoyable.

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It is very interesting to see toddlers in China wearing a sort of pants, which are wide open at the bottom. Kids can easily squat and do their business without the hassle to pull down anything. You can see a mother holding baby, with it facing her chests, whose rear ends are exposed to the general public though this type of pants.

Sometimes you can also catch a glimsp of 2 or 3 year old weeing at side of the road. I actaully feel quite embarrassed and withdraw from it immediately.

I have nothing against this but I just thought, perhaps it is a good thing to grow the sense of privacy and diginity by a habit of peeing in a covered space at young age. Well, who am I to make this conclusion? Being private is more civilised?

However, just to be fair, we can see the open-air urinals in London as well. Alcohol inflated bladders are definitely heavier than privacy.

Walking Marriage

In the Yuan-Nan province, south west of China, close to the boarder of Cambodia and Thai, there is a monority group, in which the mothers are in charge of the duty of growing and maintaining the family lines.

A mother is the head of a household, the family members are of childrens and elders. Men are only a tools of reproduction. A woman can have many husbands, however, the wife-husband bonding is lose. A man sneaks in to the woman's house at night and leaves by dawn. Childrens were born without accurate knowlege of their biological fathers.

It is said that this minority group has no writing script and it is hard to figure out why is this custome. But possibly the whole village are somhow related by blood, a way of building connection with each other so they can survive as a whole?

I am more curious about the iron-will women. How do they deal with jealousy and anger, all that kind of emotion when seeing her man sleeping around? By taking the revenge of making many lovers stay overnight in her house? What if there is a woman who is very popular and one is not? Do they treat each other fairly?

Sore Throat

I hesitate to write about this topic for quite a while. What is the difference between Beijing inhabitants' breathing systems amongst other cities? In Beijing, you can hear the clearing thoat sound everywhere. I think it is most ubiquteous when walking on the street. But occasionally, you can hear it in workplaces (remember the toilet door is always wide open?) or in the restaurants.

It is the rumbling sound from deep throat, slowly coming up to the behind of the month. And inevitably, a spitting follows. It is so interesting that people make almost identical sounds regardless the age and gender. A very well-dressed woman walking in front of you could turn her beautifully make-up head and spit right before your toes.

I am only afraid of being hit by the spitting bomb.

Eye shadow

I have my hair cut very short, I am not very used to it because the haircut makes me look too modern. This morning I decided to apply some dark brown eye shadow to go with my new hair style and then some people think I had a lousy sleep last night because my eyes look swallon...

I hurried to the lady's to take it off.

American Born Chinese

Very cute salt and pepper containers
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They are very interesting species. If you remember the 4 girls from Joy Luck Club, despite their different mothers, they all think, behave, or even look similar. I can identify ABCs among real Chinese quite easily. Most have very healthy appearance, nice skin, shining white teeth. They speak fluent English and strange-tone Mandarin. They think like westerners, although brought up in Traditional Chinese families. The young ABCs are bright, never shy away from any possiblity of having fun. Very confident, I guess it is because the western education system praises the individualism highly. It is so unthinkable for them to place a single thread of doubt in their values as an individual (But I do that all the time... ).

The old ABCs are more modest, I guess it is the aging process makes them wonder what they actually are. Generally, they are mild, earnest, well-eduated with not-so-distinguishable personalities, just like average American. But somehow you have no desire to know more about him/her due to the fear of finding out the fact they are all the same?

Beijing is like a big play ground for them. Most work for multinational company, as the bridge between the US headquater and the virgin market in China. Foriegn companies need them, they are more reliable and controllable comparing to the locals. US salary makes them the elite group, they all hire maids to clean their flats. The circle of expats is so small that you see the same faces (differnt girls though) over and over again in different clubs, where no real conversation is carried out and the mixture of green tea/whisky is served. I wonder how they keep their sanity with the same activity on weekly basis.

I guess I can be friend with them if I can tell who is who?