Beijing is back on the menu.  It seems like I'm intrinsically connected to this magnificent city.  I just bought tickets for Amanda and myself for the Javelin Throw and Track portion of the Beijing Paralympic Games, held in the Birds Nest Stadium, on September 8.  I'm going to the Olympics!  Ok, the Paralympics, but still.

Speaking of the Olympics: ( Read more... )

Hey, yesterday was my one year "anniversary" with Zachary and Amanda!  I remember the day I met them because it was the first day of Japanese class after I got back from China/Japan: January 3, 2007.  To celebrate, we went out to Mongolian Barbecue for dinner, then had Starbucks, and ended the night playing Risk (with Sal in tow).  Now our ( Read more... )

North Korea has eluded me twice in 2 months.  I'm not sure if it even exists.  The first time was in South Korea, when the South Korean president was visiting the border at the precise time we were there, so we couldn't see it.  And now this Dandong debacle ( Read more... )

A few observations from my first November in China:

- More Beijingers own dogs than I would have expected.  Each time I see one of them, I kind of want to squeal.  Who knew that in Beijing (of all places) I'd realize that I love dogs enough to want to emit a high pitched yelp?

- I just realized that one of my classmates who I thought was German this ( Read more... )

I saw Mao Zedong's body yesterday.  It's preserved, in a building right in the middle of Tiananmen Square.  It was kind of creepy.
My favorite part?  The communist blanket draped over his body.

So then, to finish off tales of South Korea:

On Monday Amanda and I went to the Olympic Park and Stadium, since Seoul had the Olympics in 1988.  Unlike many ( Read more... )

My hiatus is over.  South Korea created a kind of break in the routine, but now I'm back and daily entries will hopefully be forthcoming.

South Korea.  You know of it, right?  Sure, it's the country that's south of North Korea.  And Samsung and Hyundai come from there.  Maybe if you're a little more interested in Asia you know that kimchi (spicy ( Read more... )

Life goals:

1. Hold a chicken - Done
2. See Ghengis Khan's capital - Done
3. Retire in Outer Space - Not Done
4. Celebrate the Moon Festival the old Chinese way - Done

Yesterday was a major holiday in China known as the Moon Festival (Chinese: 中秋节, Mid-Autumn Festival).  It's a day that Chinese people spend it with their families and friends, so even ( Read more... )

I now officially own 1 (one) ferry ticket to Incheon, South Korea.  Incheon is not Seoul.  We will have to find a way from Incheon to Seoul, but that's ok.  Because Amanda and I are going to South Korea.  September 27!

Yesterday I only had one class, but I slept through it because my alarm is stupid and the wrong button was pressed.  And then I had ( Read more... )

在电视有一位女的去世前，她知道她会去世。我怕那个样子，可是我也想这样去世。我的最好天（死以前）我要自己说：“现在8点。我8点12分会去世。“ 很奇怪。但是我就是奇怪的人 ( Read more... )

A few things of note happened today.

First, I decided to drop my marketing minor (before I even began it) in order to take whimsical history classes.  I thought to myself, "Hmmm.... which of these seems more interesting, a marketing minor or the history of Russia?".  And now I have officially dropped my Economics Statistics and Marketing classes ( Read more... )