Generic catch-up type post
Work and more work. Can't say it's not rewarding though: I'm right proud of some of the pieces I've done for this big forthcoming cover package and I look forward to reaction from RH readers. Wrote on semiconductors for the first time, really. An interesting little factlet: China exports about 90% of the chips it produces, and at the same time imports about 90% of the semiconductors it uses. An intriguing paradox, no? No.
Guenevere turns 1 year old in a week. We've decided not to make too big a deal of it -- just have the families over for some food. Words: mama, baba, daddy, Fanfan, something that sounds suspiciously like Kaiser, pretty, cookie, and the following unmistakably Chinese words: jidan (egg), yazi (duck), deng (light, though it comes out more like "duh!"), and wawa which means doll. Crawls well, cruises (moves around rooms standing but only while supporting herself with various pieces of furniture, for you non-baby people), I'd say 80% potty-trained now.
Fanfan's started English at a school called Wall Street Institute. The pedagogy seems sound, like I know fuck all about second language acquisition. But she's really into it, and appears to be learning quickly. Life with her has been blissful -- when I've had any time to spend with her.
Met up with a guy named Alex who was here some years back -- huge ABC dude of Shandong extraction, an environmental lawyer and a musician. He came to a show with his very smart wife Hyeon-ju, and we had lunch today. He turned me on to a cool band called Darediablo - sort of prog-inflected instrumental rock outfit that's a bit like an amped up Modeski Martin and Wood, or an Emerson Lake and Palmer stripped of pretension and, alas, Greg Lake's nice voice. They're on now.
I'm playing bass in an AC/DC cover band called the Dirty Deeds, getting ready to book our first round of gigs. The singer's going to blow people away. He's the real thing. Rocks circles around me.
I've been spending some afternoons writing and taking meetings at the Bookworm when possible. I've made some new acquaintances there - Dan, a young guy with a formidable intellect, a job at IBM and very nice shirts; Olivia, a henna-headed, grad student Berliner whose mother is a mighty Montenegran and whose Chinese trounces mine; Maya, a lawyer-on-leave from Jersey via DC who's finishing up a book that would sound intriguing were I not so squeamish about the prospect of reading numerous first hand accounts of sexual exploits by the author; KC, very smart business writer who worked for years at the Street and seems like she's very solidly grounded and therefore inspires my confidence. It's nice to regularly see Ada and Daming there too.
So many cool new people in Beijing these days. I feel fortunate. But I don't know when the venerable 'Worm will have its date with the wrecking ball, but they've already knocked down quite a few buildings in the old Sanlitun apartment block on the west side of the street and I believe my cozy little haunt's days are numbered. Fortunately plans are already in place to move it south a coupla hundred meters.
Guenevere turns 1 year old in a week. We've decided not to make too big a deal of it -- just have the families over for some food. Words: mama, baba, daddy, Fanfan, something that sounds suspiciously like Kaiser, pretty, cookie, and the following unmistakably Chinese words: jidan (egg), yazi (duck), deng (light, though it comes out more like "duh!"), and wawa which means doll. Crawls well, cruises (moves around rooms standing but only while supporting herself with various pieces of furniture, for you non-baby people), I'd say 80% potty-trained now.
Fanfan's started English at a school called Wall Street Institute. The pedagogy seems sound, like I know fuck all about second language acquisition. But she's really into it, and appears to be learning quickly. Life with her has been blissful -- when I've had any time to spend with her.
Met up with a guy named Alex who was here some years back -- huge ABC dude of Shandong extraction, an environmental lawyer and a musician. He came to a show with his very smart wife Hyeon-ju, and we had lunch today. He turned me on to a cool band called Darediablo - sort of prog-inflected instrumental rock outfit that's a bit like an amped up Modeski Martin and Wood, or an Emerson Lake and Palmer stripped of pretension and, alas, Greg Lake's nice voice. They're on now.
I'm playing bass in an AC/DC cover band called the Dirty Deeds, getting ready to book our first round of gigs. The singer's going to blow people away. He's the real thing. Rocks circles around me.
I've been spending some afternoons writing and taking meetings at the Bookworm when possible. I've made some new acquaintances there - Dan, a young guy with a formidable intellect, a job at IBM and very nice shirts; Olivia, a henna-headed, grad student Berliner whose mother is a mighty Montenegran and whose Chinese trounces mine; Maya, a lawyer-on-leave from Jersey via DC who's finishing up a book that would sound intriguing were I not so squeamish about the prospect of reading numerous first hand accounts of sexual exploits by the author; KC, very smart business writer who worked for years at the Street and seems like she's very solidly grounded and therefore inspires my confidence. It's nice to regularly see Ada and Daming there too.
So many cool new people in Beijing these days. I feel fortunate. But I don't know when the venerable 'Worm will have its date with the wrecking ball, but they've already knocked down quite a few buildings in the old Sanlitun apartment block on the west side of the street and I believe my cozy little haunt's days are numbered. Fortunately plans are already in place to move it south a coupla hundred meters.