Christmas in Beijing
Celebrating Christmas so far away from home is weird for anyone, but celebrating it in China is completely different altogether. There'll be shops with Christmas decorations up, the occasional butchered Christmas song playing at the supermarket, and even the fruit shop gets into it with oranges wrapped in little Christmas boxes, but the only thing that will truly make it feel like Christmas is if you deck out your apartment.
This year, our apartment didn't get decked out until Christmas afternoon. Due to a combination of my housemate working forever, my getting a nasty cold, and having to work on a Sunday to make up the day I'd take off on Tuesday, shit just didn't get done. But I moved myself enough to bring out everything from last year, put up some fairy lights we'd just inherited, and bust out The Coolest Christmas album (the only one I had on my iPhone oops). Things were a little strained between the three people I was going to celebrate with throughout the day (not helped by my blocked nose and complete inability to think let alone organize others), but it all came together and we had roast chicken and a sweet potato gratin with glasses of wine and Christmas crackers while watching Scrooged. Our ayi had brought us masses of fruit, and I had the foresight to buy various nuts as nibbles, and it all felt quite good. We didn't do presents, but that is fine by me.
I did get to speak to my family, if fitfully, over FaceTime (forget about Skype, holy hell) during the morning, and it was great. I missed them knowing it was Christmas, but I was much bolstered by the fact that it's only a little more than six weeks until I visit them. (Yes, I have a countdown page on timeanddate.com. I'm that excited.)
On that note, I am being way more proactive in my work this cycle because I am trying to get as many things done (or at least organized) for the issue that I will be away for. This cycle because I was sick I had everything due on the same day and it wasn't so bad, so at least I know that if I line up freelancers I'll be okay on that first day back. I'm being over-organized early because I'm excited about the holiday. Once things start coming back to me for the issue I'm away I'll feel like I'm nearly on holidays haha.
New Year's Eve is gearing up to be a clusterfuck. Or at least, an annoying confluence of people who don't want to do the same things. In these moments I enjoy sticking my head in the sand. I have no idea what to do. Whatever, it's just New Year's, I hate making a big deal about it because it rarely is as awesome or as special as you think it's going to be. Whatever, we'll see what happens.
In health and fitness news I have been a lazy ass who eats cookies this week but it's Christmas, that's what you're meant to do. I'm gonna do a make-up workout tomorrow and start back fresh on Monday, just in time for the new year. I'm also going to start another 6-week challenge on Nerd Fitness, in which you have to include a "life level up" goal. Mine will be: rainbowfilling.
But for now I am going to start walking to Chongwenmen (30-40 mins) where I will have a delicious dinner and then go ice skating with my hetero life partner Sam. It's gonna be awesome.
Originally posted at Dreamwidth.
This year, our apartment didn't get decked out until Christmas afternoon. Due to a combination of my housemate working forever, my getting a nasty cold, and having to work on a Sunday to make up the day I'd take off on Tuesday, shit just didn't get done. But I moved myself enough to bring out everything from last year, put up some fairy lights we'd just inherited, and bust out The Coolest Christmas album (the only one I had on my iPhone oops). Things were a little strained between the three people I was going to celebrate with throughout the day (not helped by my blocked nose and complete inability to think let alone organize others), but it all came together and we had roast chicken and a sweet potato gratin with glasses of wine and Christmas crackers while watching Scrooged. Our ayi had brought us masses of fruit, and I had the foresight to buy various nuts as nibbles, and it all felt quite good. We didn't do presents, but that is fine by me.
I did get to speak to my family, if fitfully, over FaceTime (forget about Skype, holy hell) during the morning, and it was great. I missed them knowing it was Christmas, but I was much bolstered by the fact that it's only a little more than six weeks until I visit them. (Yes, I have a countdown page on timeanddate.com. I'm that excited.)
On that note, I am being way more proactive in my work this cycle because I am trying to get as many things done (or at least organized) for the issue that I will be away for. This cycle because I was sick I had everything due on the same day and it wasn't so bad, so at least I know that if I line up freelancers I'll be okay on that first day back. I'm being over-organized early because I'm excited about the holiday. Once things start coming back to me for the issue I'm away I'll feel like I'm nearly on holidays haha.
New Year's Eve is gearing up to be a clusterfuck. Or at least, an annoying confluence of people who don't want to do the same things. In these moments I enjoy sticking my head in the sand. I have no idea what to do. Whatever, it's just New Year's, I hate making a big deal about it because it rarely is as awesome or as special as you think it's going to be. Whatever, we'll see what happens.
In health and fitness news I have been a lazy ass who eats cookies this week but it's Christmas, that's what you're meant to do. I'm gonna do a make-up workout tomorrow and start back fresh on Monday, just in time for the new year. I'm also going to start another 6-week challenge on Nerd Fitness, in which you have to include a "life level up" goal. Mine will be: rainbowfilling.
But for now I am going to start walking to Chongwenmen (30-40 mins) where I will have a delicious dinner and then go ice skating with my hetero life partner Sam. It's gonna be awesome.
Originally posted at Dreamwidth.