tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51042942024-03-23T10:56:02.672-07:00you don't have to readjohn patrick | 吉平 is a former superhero and part-time dissident from seattle | usa<br>
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now studying mandarin in hangzhou | chinajp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.comBlogger1055125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-11555542916595368322007-08-21T09:11:00.001-07:002007-08-21T09:11:42.834-07:00This Blog Is ClosedThanks for reading, everyone! This blog is now closed; no new posts will be added. However, it will remain available for your viewing pleasure. If you'd like to leave a comment, please do it soon, before I close comments. <br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">Please click over to my new blog, </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://jpv206.wordpress.com">you don't have to read II</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span> (and if you have an suggestions for a better title, I'm listening). There, you will find the vast majority of the posts from <a href="http://jpv206.blogspot.com">you don't have to read</a> and <a href="http://jpgoestochina.blogspot.com"> China Trippin'</a>, as well as all the new posts from my new life in Shanghai, China. This new blog will be easier for me to work with in China. <br> jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-48525691829494852542007-08-20T22:37:00.000-07:002007-08-20T22:40:21.728-07:00Home Sweet Home<p>So landing in the US was kind of a trip. They showed some practical joke show on the plane right before landing, which eliminated landing anxiety for most people, but I hate practical joke shows; I manually turned my screen to black and looked out the window, to find we were already at treetop level and descending. </p><p>Passport control asked me why I was in China and what I was doing there. Not really much of a thing. Then, waiting for my bags, one of the Homeland Security Agents whose job it is to size up and intimidate the recent arrivals saw me waiting for my bag to come down the carrousel, and asked to see my passport and arrival document. Fine, man, I'm woose.No 'good morning,' no 'sir,' no 'please' or 'thank you,' DHS is too busy protecting us from terrorists to bother with pleasantries.</p><p><br /> </p><blockquote><p>HSD: Can I see your passport and arrival document?</p><p>me: Sure. HSD: Where did you go? me: China </p><p>HSD: How long were you there? </p><p>me: Six weeks.</p><p>HSD: What were you there for?</p><p>me: Studying Chinese. </p><p>HSD: So you speak Chinese now?me: Better than I did six weeks ago. </p><p>HSD: Shay shay?</p><p>me: Ok, you're welcome... (are you kidingme?)...</p><p>HSD: (studying my response)</p><p>me: ... You said, "thank you."HSD: Yah, ok I'm workin' here.</p></blockquote><p>He looked at my documents for a few more seconds and I watched the bags come down the ramp. He handed my papers back to me with an "ok" and went to look for the next adult male who looked like he was traveling alone. Two minutes later, another agent, buffer and with a military haircut, came and asked me the same questions, only without the language quiz. </p><p>Once I got my bags, I stopped at last check point... and was diverted to agricultural inspection. My bags were scanned another time, and an older, more professional looking agent with better social skills confiscated my beef jerky candies, warned me about the $300 fine. After that, I walked out of the security area. </p><p>They took my bags a second time, and I walked out to claim them on the other side. My sister met me at the main baggage claim. Once I got home, it was gifts, shower, nap, lunch (Chinese food!) and then we went out to see the Simpsons' movie.</p><p>Tomorrow: unpack, go to the office and clean up my desk, shop for a new computer. </p>jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-41979466083038303812007-08-19T19:34:00.001-07:002007-08-19T19:34:42.431-07:00Back In Town<div>This post appears both at <a href="http://jpgoestochina.blogspot.com/">China Trippin'</a> and <a href="http://jpv206.blogspot.com/">'you don't have to read.'</a> </div> <div> </div> <div>Hello from Seoul, Korea. I will be back in the big 206 about 24 hours from now. </div> <div> </div> <div>I hope you all have been enjoying my <a href="http://jpgoestochina.blogspot.com">China Trippin'</a> posts over the last few months. In case you haven't heard the big news, I have resigned my job at the Jesuit high school, where I've taught for the past eight years. I have accepted an offer from Praxis Language in Shanghai, China to be an academic content director at SpanishSense.com. I'm very excited about the job, and happy I get to be in China to continue working on Mandarin.</div> <div> </div> <div>So I have decided to put both <a href="http://jpv206.blogspot.com">'you don't have to read'</a> and <a href="http://jpgoestochina.blogspot.com">China Trippin'</a> to bed, and start a new blog as I start a new chapter in my life. I'm especially sad to let go of <a href="http://jpv206.blogspot.com/">'you don't have to read'</a>, but alas, the Chinese government blocks blogspot blogs, so I figure that this is as good a time as any to start over with a new platform. </div> <div> </div> <div>Of course, the new blog needs a new name. Here are some of my thoughts, let me know in the comments if you like one in particular, or if you have any other suggestions. </div> <div> </div> <div>Shanghai Pie</div> <div>Deng yi xia! (Just a second!)</div> <div>Kuai yi dian er! (Hurry up!)</div> <div>Zhili hao. (Here's good.)</div> <div>JP's Adventures in Grammar</div> <div>Ex-patria, Unum</div> <div> </div> <div>There will be more suggestions: I gotta go. Someone is vaccuming and I can't concentrate on thinking of new names. </div> jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-5173982265591393502007-07-11T05:29:00.001-07:002007-07-11T05:29:19.340-07:00I'm on a break!I'm in China now, I won't be updating this blog for a few more weeks. <br><br>If you want to see how I'm doing, please go to my G-rated, not semi-anonymous blog at:<br><br>h t t p :/ / jp goes to china . blogspot . com <br><br>No spaces of course. I'll be back in August.<br> jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-1440599676841643062007-07-08T04:18:00.001-07:002007-07-08T04:18:08.989-07:00Classes Start TomorrowToday we had our last orientation, which means no more English until mid August. I wonder how long I'll last. We students have a system of spelling English words to get around the language pledge. Spelling is irritating enough to not become a habit, but it gets us through a conversation. Many of our Chinese roommates know a lot of English vocab. <br><br>They brought us Subway for lunch, which was nice, but it was Chinese Subway, which is not American Subway. Then E and I struck out without Chinese people this time and took the 12 Bus. First we went to the wrong bus station, then E figured it out and we walked to the right one. It was freakishly hot. <br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">Getting Lost, At Last! </span><br><br>We got on the 12 South to find 文三楼口 because E needs a new camera charger. As usual, we didn't know where to get off, so we totally missed our stop. We eventually got off at the West Lake, right at the teahouse that I had tea in with the three others a day earlier. It wasn't our objective, but since we were there, I showed E where the Carrefour (all the French megastores are here), and bought myself some emergency blood sugar peanuts that are GOOD. <br><br>E and I had a plan to take the 12 a little farther south, walk east to the central highway, and catch another bus back. Didn't happen, missed the stop. We ended up at the Silk Museum, way south... Got off the bus and started walking across the street for the return bus, but then decided what the hell... We went into the Silk Museum and it turned out to be both free and air-conditioned. NICE. <br><br>At around 3:30 we took the 12 all the way back campus. I looked out for 文三楼口 but didn't see it. <br><br>Getting lost on the 12 with E was exactly the thing I needed to do today. I needed to get lost and find my way back, and rely on our own smarts, and not our Chinese roommates or the GroupThink that happens when more than three Americans strike out to see the town. I like the 12 a lot now! <br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">Laundry</span><br><br>I did my laundry today. Did I already write about this? It's lame to wear something different every day and then wash it on the weekend. I have decided I'm going to have a three day rotation; wash my outfit every night, and then hang it out on the line to dry. There is no reason in the world to use a dryer here, and there is just not enough space on my clothesline to hang out a week's worth of clothes. Maybe if I was skinnier.... <br><br>By the way, I wish I had more polyester guayaveras. I only brought one. Cotton absorbs my sweat and then holds the moisture against my skin. Not comfortable. I have a whole stack of shirts I don't really want to wear now. Oh well. <br><br>So to avoid wrinkles, I'm hanging out my clothes without wringing out the water. I just rinse it out and hang it up. The weight of the water weighs down the shirt as it drys, so there are less wrinkles. Came up with that one myself. <br> jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-42118554220051418332007-07-06T17:08:00.001-07:002007-07-06T17:08:03.314-07:00Some backlogged posts... <p class="MsoNormal">Hello, from Hangzhou, China!<span style=""> </span><br><br>It's 4:30 in the morning, and I can't sleep anymore.<span style=""> </span>My roommate is sleeping, and the room is an echo chamber, so I've brought a chair and my laptop out to the balcony, and I'm typing into word.<span style=""> </span>I will past it into the blogs later.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So I landed at Hangzhou International Airport around 2:30.<span style=""> </span>Breezed through immigration, and by the time I got to baggage claim, my bags were halfway down the belt.<span style=""> </span>I was relieved to see them, since back in Seoul, the lady at the counter who had given me my boarding pass and checked in my bags said, "Please wait five minutes for your bags to be inspected" as my bags rolled down the belt into an inspection room.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">"Wait where? here?"<span style=""> </span>I had never heard of this before.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">"Over there," she said, vaguely gesturing to the right.<span style=""> </span>It just looked like more ticketing to me. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So I went over to the right and waited, and then went over to a seating area and waited, and then looked at the clock and decided five minutes was up, so I waited a little bit longer.... and then I went through security.<span style=""> </span>Was somebody supposed to tell me my bags were ok?<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, so I was glad to see my bags once I got to Hangzhou.<span style=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">It's funny to me that Hangzhou is a city of six million, which is the population of the entire state of Washington, and that such a big city is considered a medium-sized city here.<span style=""> </span>The airport is relatively small.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So anyway, I found myself alone at the airport around 3pm, and the airport rendez-vous wasn't until 5:30.<span style=""> </span>Here I was stuck at this smallish airport with not much to do. <span style=""> </span>I pulled my gear over to a window ledge—there is very little seating on the concourse—and waited.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">And then I thought, I'm an adult, I shouldn't sit here and wait dutifully for two and a half hours.<span style=""> </span>What am I afraid of?<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So I stood up and went to the taxi line.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Before I left my hotel in Seoul, I went to the internet and scribbled down the hanzi of where our school was.<span style=""> </span>I was in a hurry, so I just copied the hanzi, not the pinyin pronunciation.<span style=""> </span>And what I scribbled down was not the actual address; roughly, it said 'Zhejian University of Technology, back entrance on some street street, Building 11.'</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So I went up to a Mercedes taxi driver and pointed to my scribbles (since I don't remember how to pronounce them). and he shook his head and pointed me to a green taxis, which were lined up behind him.<span style=""> </span>Just then a whole flock of people came out of the terminal, walked in front of me to claim the next seven cabs.<span style=""> </span>This is a good thing; I need to see how it's done before I make an idiot of myself.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So when I decided it was my "turn" I showed my scribbled note to the cab driver, who looked puzzled, but helped me put my gear in the trunk.<span style=""> </span>When we were on our way, he asked me an important question, which I responded "I don't understand."<span style=""> </span>He told me he was going to make a phone call, and asked for my note again, and then yelled angrily at whoever was on the phone.<span style=""> </span>I didn't understand it, but it sounded like, "SOME FREAK HANDED ME A PIECE OF PAPER AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE HELL HE'S GOING, WHERE THE HELL IS THE BACK GATE OF ZUT?<span style=""> </span>AM I JUST SUPPOSED TO GO THERE AND ASK PEOPLE WHERE THE BACK GATE IS?<span style=""> </span>SHIT!"</p> <p class="MsoNormal">When he got off the phone, I managed to ask if he know where we were going.<span style=""> </span>He said, yah.<span style=""> </span>So then I said, "Sorry, I don't speak Chinese well."<span style=""> </span>And that started our conversation.<span style=""> </span>He asked if I was meeting a friend there?<span style=""> </span>(no.)<span style=""> </span>He asked why I was going there<span style=""> </span>(to study Mandarin).<span style=""> </span>He asked where I was from (USA, Seattle).<span style=""> </span>I was fine doing all the small talk.<span style=""> </span>I asked him a few other questions; has he been to the US, does he take a lot of foreigners in his cab, etc.<span style=""> </span>It was pleasant enough.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now's the part in the story where I say, "Chinese people don't know how to drive!" and talk about all the crazy stuff that was happening on the road during our pleasant Day One in China conversation.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I am not going to say that Chinese people don't know how to drive; I'm going to say that they have a different driving culture, with different rules and expectations than Americans do.<span style=""> </span>Chinese drivers are totally in control of their cars, and know exactly what the car can and can't do. They are also hyper-aware of everything that is going on around them, what other cars are doing and what they want to do, what bikes and pedestrians are doing and how not to hit them.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So I'm saying that Chinese drivers are a) more aware of their vehicles' capabilities and limitations, and b) more aware of other vehicles are doing.<span style=""> </span>And I honestly don't notice a lot of dents in the cars all around me.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So now that I've said all that, it's hard to explain all the stuff my driver was doing.<span style=""> </span>Darting and out of lanes, making a lane where there is no lane, driving right up to the back corner of a semi and matching its acceleration, turning into a bike lane and going against most of the traffic, turning against the light and crossing a bike lane, where the bikes just keep coming.<span style=""> </span>Driving up onto sidewalks, backing around a corner on a sidewalk so to avoid the 'do not enter' restriction on a one way road.<span style=""> </span>All of these situations would have been illegal in the US and in all probability deadly, due to Americans' love affair with their traffic conventions, and how we use conventions as a substitution for creativity and awareness.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I'm trying to sound tolerant of Chinese drivers, and I really did not worry about all the danger I was perceiving... but I will say that I will never drive in this country, and I hope I don't have to take another cab ride. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, we got to the back gate, and I gave the driver my 300Y.<span style=""> </span>He said the price was 550Y and he pointed me to a cash machine.<span style=""> </span>When that didn't work, he marched in and asked how I could get money; they directed us to a Bank of China.<span style=""> </span>So back in the cab, I apologized and he got me as close as he could to the cash machine; I crossed the street, took out 1000Y and got back in the cab.<span style=""> </span>He found my building, stopping every block or so and asking "Friend!<span style=""> </span>Back entrance, how do I find it!"<span style=""> </span>So we got to the building, I gave him 300Y more, and I took my bags inside Building 11.<span style=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">I helped a lady find my name on a list; it said I was in 404.<span style=""> </span>However, she couldn't find my key, so she sent me up to meet the RD in 109.<span style=""> </span>We didn't speak English until I got to his office, at which point he told me that the cab driver totally ripped me off, that it should have been 110Y, and did I ask for a receipt.<span style=""> </span>Ha.<span style=""> </span>Whatever, I was just glad to be here, and honestly, I don't know how much 600Y is yet, because I haven't done the math.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So he helped me walk my bags up to 404, told me I didn't have much luggage (eh?!) and asked me, in Chinese, how my French was.<span style=""> </span>I find it really hard to understand people in echo-ey staircases, so I'm sure my answer was not intelligent.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Found my way to my room, unpacked, found a note from my Chinese roommate.<span style=""> </span>He showed up later with a friend, introduced himself, and asked me if I was hungry.<span style=""> </span>I thought, aw that's nice!<span style=""> </span>changed my shoes, and followed him to the cantina.<span style=""> </span>There were six or seven stations of food; I chose a turo-turo; one meat, two vegetables, help yourself to rice.<span style=""> </span>I chose chicken katzu, salty cucumber salad, and some chinese greens.<span style=""> </span>My roommate (I'll introduce him later) gave me a small scoop of rice and I stopped him before he could give me more.<span style=""> </span>He put his meal card on top of the squat cash register and jiggled it until he could see that 550Y had been deducted from his account.<span style=""> </span>I went to find a seat, and he went to get me a drink.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">He wasn't eating, because he said he had just eaten, but I finished my plate and told him next time I was buying, which he insisted wasn't necessary.<span style=""> </span>Asians!<span style=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Then we went back up to the room, I showed him some of my stuff, including the Inconvenient Truth book I had brought for him, and he was writing down new vocab words for me, both in hanzi and in pinyin pronunciation.<span style=""> </span>I told him George W Bush was 250, which is the strongest insult I could come up with.<span style=""> </span>Finally, our water was delivered (which we had been waiting for) and then we went to the store.<span style=""> </span>I bought a universal power strip, a coffee mug, some toothpaste (am I not supposed to use toothpaste from China?) a billiard-ball key chain (I chose the number 12; my lucky number 4 rhymes with 'death' and is considered very <i style="">buwisit</i>), a big <i style="">tabu</i> (which I don't know how to say in English), a notebook..... all of it from the on-campus grocery store . 80Y.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My roommate met his friends outside the store; I said goodbye and found my way back to the dorm.<span style=""> </span>I went to bed before 9pm.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Woke up at 4pm, lay there for half an hour until I got bored, then I came to the balcony and blogged.<span style=""> </span>It's now 5:30 and daylight.<span style=""> </span>I will introduce my roommate in my next post; hopefully with photos!<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here's a list of stuff I want to buy:<span style=""> </span></p> <ul><li>light bulbs</li><li>ash tray for coins</li><li>emergency snack (peanuts) </li><li>laundry detergent/container</li><li>dry erase board</li><li>pocket notebook</li><li>clothes pins</li><li>razor</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal">Today I think we do that activity where the program leader gives us a rendez-vous in the city, and we have to get there and back using the bus.<span style=""> </span>It's an all day activity.<span style=""> </span>I will meet the other Americans... and not speak English to them.<span style=""> </span>Not sure if my roommate is coming; he has a big exam today.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">_______<br style=""> <br style=""> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Orientation meeting.<span style=""> </span>The orientation was held in English, it lasted from 8 to noon.<span style=""> </span>Slide show, language pledge, pressing questions (eh?), how to use the buses.... After all that English, I feel like I've forgotten my Chinese already. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We met our Chinese roommates back at the ranch, and then it was lunch in the same cantina.<span style=""> </span>This time I had some fried noodles.<span style=""> </span>Next time I will get steamed noodles.<span style=""> <br></span></p>I'm thinking about not going on the hike tomorrow.<span style=""> <br></span>Three roommates had to go take an exam, so now I'm waiting for two other Americans to go get to know the bus system.<span style=""> </span>We'll see how that goes.<span style=""> <br></span> ______<p class="MsoNormal">Today went in a group of four to Carrefour.<span style=""> </span>If I'm going to succeed here, I need to learn to read and speak Chinese.<span style=""> </span>Sheesh.<span style=""> </span>We had a bus activity, but we got off at the wrong spot, and up walking in the heat to our destination.<span style=""> </span>Which is not bad, but it's not learning the bus system either.<span style=""> </span>I told the director I wanted to skip the hike on Friday and do the bus thing again instead.<span style=""> </span>By myself this time.</p>It is hot here.<span style=""> </span>We had a lecture about the AC being bad for you, and needing "fresh" air.<span style=""> </span>Whatever.<span style=""> </span>Once we found our original bus stop, we sat in McDonalds as J ate his ice cream cone.<span style=""> </span>We sat and sat until we had cooled off, despite hearing some Chinese hip hop in the speakers booming directly above me.<span style=""> </span>We went down to Carrefour, and I bought a bunch of stuff; floor mats, clothespins, hangers, more shampoo, another <i style="">tabu</i>, <span style=""> </span>a dry erase board, pens and pencils..<span style=""> </span> <p class="MsoNormal">Before coming home, we sat in a famous tea shop and did nothing but relax and drink tea for maybe three hours.<span style=""> </span>On the way out, we looked at Xi Hu, and then I said we should go back.<span style=""> </span>Xi Hu is nice... it will be there tomorrow.<span style=""> </span></p>medicine:<span style=""> </span>missed another day.<span style=""> </span>didn't miss today; fbg was 112.<span style=""> </span>two days ago when i showed roommate my testing gear and did a demonstration 154.<span style=""> </span>not bad!<span style=""> </span>I will definitely lose weight in China. jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-60716358823400227362007-07-06T06:51:00.001-07:002007-07-06T06:51:16.305-07:00I'm here, I'm here, I'm ok.<div>So I just this minute (an hour ago) got my internet hooked up, thanks to my roommate, who I will introduce to you properly in a future post. </div> <div> </div> <div>So I'm checking email, posting this blogs, seeing which sites are blocked and which are not. A bigger post is yet to come. </div> jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-85745818184017304102007-07-03T18:40:00.001-07:002007-07-03T18:40:41.096-07:00Time To Check Out<div>I'm about to go check out of my hotel room and take the free shuttle to the airport. After breakfast I took another walk in the neighborhood, but it started to rain so I went back. My camera battery is dying, anyway. </div> <div> </div> <div>Hung out in my hotel room, checked out some k-pop, watched a documentary of South Koreans who go to a river on the China-North Korean border and wave at their relatives. Watched some ESL programs in Korean. </div> <div> </div> <div>I finished the last of my beef jerky, which was my emergency blood sugar snack for the trip. </div> <div> </div> <div>There is no tipping in Korea or in China. It's like Spain. Ahh, Spain...</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm out of here in 20 minutes. My next post will be from my dorm room in Hangzhou.</div> jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-8559606126706792062007-07-03T14:40:00.000-07:002007-07-03T14:41:00.272-07:00It's The Future<div>So I'm in my hotel room, repacking my bags and lazily adjusting to the time zone. </div> <div> </div> <div>My hotel key is a card. I swipe it and walk into the room, and stick the card in a reader that's on the wall. Once the card is inserted into the wall, all the lights come up, and my tv powers on. Once inside, I control tv, lights, and air conditioning with the remote next to my bed. It's the future, baby. </div> <div> </div> <div>It is amazing how many variety shoes that Koreans produce. Yes, there's dramas and dubbed movies on tv too, as well as news and shopping network, but the real story are the variety shows, broadcast from huge, auditoriums. If they're not singing, they're doing a skit. Or a game show segment. When is the last time I saw a variety show? Carol Burnett? Osmonds? The Mandrells? </div> <div> </div> <div>There's also an infomercial of a mosquito tent, that folds into a 55 cm circle like those magic shades for your windshield. I kind of want one. Only 29,999 Korean Won! </div> <div> </div> <div>It's 7:20 am. Time to get some Korean breakfast and take pictures of the neighborhood. Shuttle to the airport in four hours. </div> jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-15431822034448545232007-07-03T11:47:00.001-07:002007-07-03T11:47:22.386-07:00Happy Fourth!<div>Happy Independence Day, from my hotel room in Seoul!</div> <div> </div> <div>Internet Exporer keeps crashing, so this post will be brief. </div> <div> </div> <div>The flight was uneventful. It was my first flight in a 777, which was really nice; tall ceilings, wide cabin. The service on Asiana was great. For dinner I had the choice of steak and bibimbap, and I chose steak ONLY because the bibimbap description on the menu they handed out didn't seem to include any meat. Of course there was meat it in! But oh well, the steak was ok. </div> <div> </div> <div>The service included hot towels, two snacks, and apparently as many drinks as possible. The flight attendants would not stop offering us juice, water, coffee, tea... There was one lady who kept wanting me to put my seat back up for every meal, she would say "excuse me!" and then grab the button, pull my seatback up, saying "seat backs please, seat backs." And then everyone would put up their seatbacks. At the beginning of the flight, the flight attendants went to their spots and at the beginning of the flight safety video, they all did a deep bow in perfect unison. And then, that was it, the rest of the safety speech was the video, which, by the way, was computer animation. </div> <div> </div> <div>When I got to Seoul, I saw an Asiana counter inside security and asked them to book me on a flight for today, since they canceled the one I had booked. Then, the lady noticed my baggage claim tickets, and asked me if I had liquids in my bags. She had to repeat the word "liquid" a couple times, because I wasn't expecting it. Finally, I realized that once I claimed my bags, I wouldn't be able to re-enter the security area, where my hotel is. So I just went through customs and found the hotel desk outside of the security area. </div> <div> </div> <div>I got a $90 room in a place called Airport Town Square a few minutes from Incheon. The room is fine. I walked around the neighborhood to find something to eat. I didn't want sit on the floor at a low table, and many of the other restaruants looked like they were for groups. Finally I found a cafe looking restaurant with a small table free, but the lady waved me off when I asked for a table. </div> <div> </div> <div>So forget it! I went back to the hotel and ate at the restaraurant, with my 20% off cupon. It was empty except for a couple of Spaniards. I ordered bulgogi and a beer. </div> <div> </div> <div>I slept for maybe eight hours. It's now quarter to 4am, and I'm up. I will finish adjusting to local time tomorrow; it's much easier to adjust when you travel to the west, because you just make a couple days longer in order to catch up. Traveling east is a killer because it's hard to make your day shorter, your body doesn't want to sleep early. My back is a little sore, I will invent some yoga to stretch it. </div> jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-85143290549801767892007-07-03T03:50:00.000-07:002007-07-03T03:51:18.463-07:00I made it to SeoulHello from lovely Korea. I am chillin in my hotel room.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-31541437537430382092007-07-01T12:06:00.000-07:002007-07-01T12:15:52.518-07:00Last Lazy Day of SummerI haven't had a chance to review my Chinese as much as I wanted (I'm on Chapter 7 of 15), but I'm sure I'll get up to speed soon enough. I'm actually a little reluctant about leaving now that the weather in Seattle has become so nice. There's still a few things I have to pack, still a few things I have to do to close up my house for the summer, but for the most part, I'm ready. <br /><br />Tomorrow, I'll pick up some stuff at the pharmacy and then zip up my bags. I'm worried about my sleep schedule already, which was thrown off last week when I got up early last Thursday to take A to the airport. <br /><br />Still to do today: <br /><ul><li>dishes</li><li>last load of laundry</li><li>dump the fridge</li><li>take out and re-line the garbage cans</li><li>pack up electronics, books, and shaving kit</li><li>find a gift for my chinese roommate</li><li>clean out and park my car</li></ul>It's cherry season right now; I was considering bringing over a pound of cherries for the chinese roommates, but I probably won't. <br /><br />What I want most right now is to take a nap....jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-28048065502682880962007-07-01T11:45:00.001-07:002007-07-01T12:06:02.842-07:00Be Quiet!The other night I dreamt that the parish I grew up in, St. Michael's, had been sold and converted into a mainline Protestant mega-church, complete with sound engineers, wide-screen monitors, theater lighting, and stadium seating. <br /><br />For some reason, the entire school was there, and I was sitting with a section full of freshmen and sophomores who I don't know. The faculty was spread really thin; I was supervising about 100 kids. And they wouldn't shut up! Be quiet! I ejected several students from my section.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-59340312843402547072007-06-30T17:54:00.000-07:002007-06-30T19:14:19.302-07:00Lazy European Vacation Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-E2Ltlh7k9GTKsB-DP7LHdPomH66BzZXY2sml9EVIpUu4Lq5PM6VqfAi1k_FMEdTWcmAS0Aa3IWdi9Dp2w65s-PuiYMNl2KkJpl-BouyA2wln0ma6EcDaetwnSI-nGB37mEhs/s1600-h/police+motorcycles.jpeg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5082026163123755634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-E2Ltlh7k9GTKsB-DP7LHdPomH66BzZXY2sml9EVIpUu4Lq5PM6VqfAi1k_FMEdTWcmAS0Aa3IWdi9Dp2w65s-PuiYMNl2KkJpl-BouyA2wln0ma6EcDaetwnSI-nGB37mEhs/s400/police+motorcycles.jpeg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I took the bus this morning and met Michaela at <a href="http://www.theseattletraveler.com/photo-op-raches-the-bronze-pig-at-the-pike-place-market/">Rachel the Pig</a> this morning. We went to <a href="http://www.lepichetseattle.com/">Le Pichet</a> and had <em>des olives, deux chipolatas grillees avec des frites, assiette de fromages</em> and a <em>san pelligrino</em>. They gave us a sliced <a href="http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/bin/show_recipe.cgi?fish+recipe71"><em>ficelle</em> </a> with a little cup of butter, which would never happen in France, but the butter came in handy when we were eating the roquefort. Try it: butter your bread before spreading a good blue cheese on your bread. My French host mom taught me that trick. </div><div> </div><div>We decided we would have a Lazy European Vacation Day, as if we were a couple of tourists in some European capital, with nothing to do but shop, walk, and eat. So we shopped for a roomate gift; didn't find anything; walked all the way up to the <a href="http://www.exofficio.com/">Ex Officio</a> store on Vine, then back to Westlake Center for a free cup of water. We sat on the balcony and watched people give money to the kid who was trying to raise tuition money by standing in a kiddie pool with some swim gear, and occasionaly flex for the tourists. </div><div> </div><div>We walked over to Pacific Place to buy tickets to <a href="http://bitchphd.blogspot.com/2007/06/rat-in-kitchen.html">Ratatouille</a>, which is not playing there... Oh well, we saw a whole bunch of <a href="http://www.pigsonparade.org/">Pigs on Parade</a>. We walked over to Meridian 16, bought our tickets, and then back to Westlake to check out <a href="http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/english/">Daiso</a>. On the way, we saw that 7th Ave was filled with cops, who had parked their thirty-plus motorcyles parked all in rows on both sides of the road. They were the escort team for Roh <a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/321807_korean29.html">Moo-hyun</a>. By then, I was starting to lose steam, so we walked back to the Market and parked at <a href="http://www.jacksfishspot.com/">Jack's Fish Spot</a> for some shrimp cocktail, a bowl of mussles and clams, and a half dozen raw oysters. Some woman sitting at the counter was trying to take my oysters, when he called JP, she said they were hers. I reached right over her and said, "I'm JP." Do not stand between me and my oysters, woman. </div><div> </div><div>Michaela bought a sandwich for 老虎, and I bought us a <a href="http://www.tastingmenu.com/media/2003/20030323-dailydozen/default.htm">dozen cinnamon doughnuts</a>, and we hopped into 老虎's waiting car and drove to my place. We sat around, I took a mini nap, those two went off to Costco. Now I'm going to go meet them to see the movie. </div><div> </div><div>I love lazy European vacation day. We should do that more often. </div>jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-77440118962778728172007-06-29T07:01:00.000-07:002007-06-29T08:19:42.354-07:00I Heard YouOne of the joys of being a linguist (*cough* former linguist) is that you're constantly surrounded by data. Turn on the tv, and you hear language. Call your mama on the phone, and you hear language. Somebody's rude to you in the supermarket... you get the picture. We are constantly surrounded by data for a potential linguistics paper.<br /><br />Yes, we're analyzing everything you say. At least I do. And so does the <a href="http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/06/28/the-double-edged-sword-of-linguistic-passion/">Linguistic Mystic</a>. All the time. Acutely.<br /><br />I know immediatly some people are going to read this and assume we're constantly listening for grammatical <em>errors</em>, and judging people for their non-standard speech. We're not. Standard speech for linguists is both a) a myth, and b) a giant snore-fest.<br /><br />What we listen for is variety. I listen particulary for dialect, both in terms of phonology and lexicon. Once, in grad school, I told my friend that her husband's dialect reminded me of someone I knew from Ephrata, Washington... He then explained that he grew up in Moses Lake, Washington, just 15 miles down the road, and everyone was filled with wonder. I'm sure that British or Italian people, who are much more dialect conscious, would think that 15 miles is a huge margin of error, but for rural Washington, where homogeneity is an expectation, that 15 miles is pretty good.<br /><br />I have always analyzed language, since I was a kid. I remember sitting in the garage, in the back seat of my parents' VW Dasher, waiting for my parents to come drive me somewhere, and thinking about conditional sentence structure. For example, "If I had known you were coming, I would have gotten ready." I remember thinking about the grammatical words "had" and were" and "would have," and the grammatical meaning that they conveyed in the sentence. I think I was seven.<br /><br />Also, in first grade, Ms. Slosson was teaching us reading with phonics (which is stupid by the way, English spelling is not phonetic, not even phonemic) and she asked me to spell the word "milk."<br /><br />Fine, I said, M-E-L-K.<br /><br />And she said, no, listen: miiiihhhhlk, miiihhhlk.<br /><br />And I remember consiously thinking, ok, why is she mispronouncing that word? Obviously she wants me to spell it with an I... but nobody talks like that! Nobody say's [mIlk], we all pronounce [mElk].<br /><br />So fine, I spelled it with an "i" for her, and she thought I was dumb for trying to spell it phonetically. She was a bitch anyway, I hated that Ms. Slosson, and she hated me.<br /><br />I can't tell this to people, because they all insist they don't pronounce it [mElk] but let me tell you, anyone who learned English in the 1970s in Olympia, Washington has [I] and [E] in free variation. You will hear my generation and older making no contrast between pin/pen, windy/Wendy, milk/mElk, vanilla/vanElla...<br /><br />I told this story to my mama and sister, and they insisted that they do not say [mElk], that [mElk] sounds dumb, that they always say [mIlk]. And then they demonstrate it for me, [mIlk], [mIlk], [mIlk]! Like I'm stupid! But then, when they're not consciously thinking about it, just talking about diary, they'll go and pronounce it [mElk]. Yes. YES.<br /><br />______<br /><br />One time, in Italy, we were watching tv at dinner, as we always do, and my host brother turned to me and asked me why "Singin' in the Rain" was spelled like that, what happened to the "g" on Singing?<br /><br />I told him, oh, Americans don't pronounce "-ing" in casual speech.<br /><br />And the other American sitting next to me, who was WHITE, said "what? I always pronounce the '-ing.'<br /><br />So of course, my Italian host family watched the white American correct the pronounciation habits of the brown American who HAPPENS TO BE A LINGUIST. How do you tell Italians, sorry, I know more about his language than he does....<br /><br />So only a few minutes later, he turns to me and says, "Ok, I'm gettin' tired, I think I'm goin' to bed."<br /><br />So I was like, "Aha! You said, GETTIN' and GOIN'!"<br /><br />And of course, he was like, yah, so what? It was totally out of his mind, he had moved on. So of course I had to explain it to him that he told the Italians that I had given them incorrect information about English, but that actually I was correct, and he was ignorant about his own pronunciation. It's like he wasn't even in the room.<br /><br />Oh, he says, I guess I did. Huh.<br /><br />And that was the end of it. But it didn't matter, because by the Italians thought I spoke some degenerate form of English.... me and Gene Kelly...<br /><br />______<br /><br />Anyway, the point is that people are not conscious of their linguistic performance. But I am totally listening. To everything. And so is the <a href="http://linguisticmystic.com/2007/06/28/the-double-edged-sword-of-linguistic-passion/">Linguistic Mystic</a>. We're not listening for mistakes, we're listening for variation. And we can't really stop either, unless you stop talking. Asking us not to hear language variation is like asking you not to see the difference between orange and blue. <br /><br />You don't have to feel self conscious about it. The only thing I ask is that when you ask us what we heard, and we tell you, don't correct us. We're right. We've been listening to you. And you haven't.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-9688761426227923782007-06-28T21:51:00.000-07:002007-06-28T22:16:57.099-07:00Grandkids, Then and Now<a href="http://macaroni-walls.blogspot.com/"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://lh6.google.com/h.m.villanueva/RoSKnH2x_KI/AAAAAAAAAfM/tH30oq0jIZ4/2007-06%20Scan062.jpg?imgmax=576" border="0" />Michaela</a> found this picture at our parents' house, and took a scan of it. That's our Grandma R. Judging from my glasses, I would say this is around 1984 or 1985. There is a hook-rug in the background of some geese flying low over a calm lake.<br /><br /><a href="http://lh4.google.com/jpv206/RoSOOKA7mZI/AAAAAAAAA0M/sxbuvc5Pe0I/IMG_0040.jpg?imgmax=576"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://lh4.google.com/jpv206/RoSOOKA7mZI/AAAAAAAAA0M/sxbuvc5Pe0I/IMG_0040.jpg?imgmax=576" border="0" /></a> Here we all are in 2007. Grandma R is with the Lord now, so joining us for the photo are some significant others. I am back row, left.<br /><br />Thanks, cowsins for taking me to dinner at <a href="http://www.ipanemabraziliangrill.us/">Ipanema Grill</a>, one of my favorite restaurants. Brazilians make the world a better place. I was a little embarassed that it was more expensive than I suspected, but then they insisted on treating me... that's ok, they're making the big bucks now!<br /><br />I think I actually prefer lunch there to dinner. There is an eye-popping variety at dinner, moreso than at lunch, but for some reason everything at lunch time seemed fresher; the meat, the salads.... and much less expensive.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-49532051389250074612007-06-28T13:57:00.000-07:002007-06-28T14:50:26.264-07:00Lunch!, T-minus Five Days, Conversation Topics, Three-Way Sex, and SCOTUS vs. DiversityI met some friends for lunch at <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/3586/Seattle/International-District/Jade-Garden.html">Jade Garden</a>, it was delicious! It's the reigning champ of dimsum in Seattle. No, I've never been to <a href="http://www.oasian.net/">O'Asian</a>, but look at the name, children, it's a non starter. They might as well call it No Asian. (I've never been, so who knows. Maybe it's full of Chinese people. The critics like it... but the critics also like Seven Stars Pepper over 老四川 Sichuanese cuisine... in a pinch, follow the Chinese people...)<br /><br />I bought me a cheap, new microphone that works well, so expect to see some more videoblogs over at my travel blog: jp goes to china (dot) blogspot (dot) com. Yesterday I posted a my first videoblog, but I think I fell short of fullfilling the spirit of the assignment: I only stuck to very basic Lesson 1 items that I know I can do well. Maybe tomorrow I will try to talk about something more substantial, so you can *really* see how much work I have to do on my Mandarin.<br /><br />So the RD of the program in Hangzhou has been sending us emails, what/what not to bring, what to expect from the language pledge, etc. One of his recommendations was to equip yourself with a PDA and <a href="http://www.pleco.com/">PlecoDict</a>, which IS SO COOL. It's two dictionaries on your PDA, and it breezes between listing and recognizing your English, your pinyin, or your hanzi! All students of Mandarin should equip themselves with this tool. All. <br /><br />So right now I'm brainstorming some vocabulary for conversations that I know I'll have. Some topics I thought of are: <br /><br /><ol><br /><li><strong>I have diabetes</strong>. (vocab: diabetes, blood sugar, blood test, sharps container, carbohydrates, walking...)</li><br /><li><strong>Leave Asian Americans alone!</strong> (vocab: cultural blindspot, not intuitive, ignorant ethnic majority, lack of compassion, refusing to assimilate, children of immigrants...)</li><br /><li><strong>Bush is a moron!</strong> (vocab: I did not vote for him, blue state, dishonest, un-constitutional, un-American, totally incompetent, liar, shameless, dumb cowboy...)</li><br /><li><strong>I'm not White people!</strong> (vocab: Filipino, fighting over milk, removing shoes at the door, fear of Spam, crimes against rice, stand-around-holding-a-beer parties, I'm not responsible for your stereotype...)</li></ol><br /><br />If you can think of any other topics, or any other vocab that I should prepare for the topics listed above, please let me know. <br /><br />On another note, there is a <a href="http://kiamatch.com">Kia ad</a>, both in radio and on tv, where a couple talks nervously about finding a Kia as if it were THREE-WAY SEX. Yes! Why am I the only one getting bruised by the subtext hitting me over the head? Look at the way they are talking about the Kia, for pete's sake! Am I the only one that thinks this? Obviously, OBVIOUSLY this is intentional. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9l6XxpP2jLY"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9l6XxpP2jLY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />And, finally, if you want to read about the bullshit SCOTUS decision that diversity is not an academic and social advantage, read what <a href="http://bitchphd.blogspot.com/2007/06/oh-god.html">Dr. B</a> has to say. I don't even want to think about it. <br /><br />To think, I once had faith in this country.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-49225295954127757792007-06-27T18:55:00.000-07:002007-06-27T19:12:50.293-07:00My New Travel BlogSo, I've set up my new travel blog. For now, it's called <strong>China Trippin'</strong>, but if you have a cooler name suggestion, let me know. <br /><br />I will be sharing <strong>China Trippin'</strong> with students and colleagues, so I'm not going to link to it directly from<strong> you don't have to read</strong>. If you want to see my new site, please type in this url (no spaces): <br /><br /><div align="center">jp goes to china (dot) blog spot (dot) com</div><br />Feel free to pin the guest map, play with the panda bear, etc. <a href="http://macaroni-walls.blogspot.com/">Micaela</a> had the brilliant idea that I should record myself speaking Chinese before I go, so that I can see the difference at the end of the program. I'll try to post a videoblog up there before midnight. <br /><br />If you're looking for charming stories about growing up in Sto. Tomás, La Unión in the late 50s, early 60s, you should check out <a href="http://mpmv51.blogspot.com/">Myna Bird Chatters</a>.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-88720745220276671792007-06-27T17:07:00.000-07:002007-06-27T21:45:59.690-07:00help me think of a new blog title!So, I've decided to start a new blog, one that will be my travel journal for this summer in China. I want to be able to have my coworkers and students read about my experiences, so this new blog will NOT point back to <em><strong>you don't have to read</strong></em>, although <em><strong>you don't have to read</strong></em> will point to it.<br /><br />So what should I call it?<br /><br />Here are some of my ideas.... vote for one, or add your own in the comments section.<br /><br />the china syndrome<br />hangin’ out in hangzhou<br />JP’s travels<br />The Orientator<br />Hungry in Hangzhou<br />Salt and Pepper Blog<br />Look Ma, I’m in China!<br />JP’s noodle and grammar journal<br />jiping de boke!<br />donde esta el xixshoujin?<br />zen me shuo....<br />Do your gong ke!<br />People’s Republic of Grammar<br />Must.... study.... hanzi....<br />JP; Live! from Hangzhou<br />Orient Expressions<br />Maybe You Have Bird Flu...<br />Ciao, Young Fat!<br />Coolieing off<br />Learning The New Spanish<br />Mandarino<br />To You, Hanyu, Hanyu-u<br />bù yòng kàn ā!<br />China Trippin' with JPjp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-61474432842283763542007-06-26T16:39:00.001-07:002007-06-26T16:50:20.611-07:00Soul Burger!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG_mzTadcE1DFFEruCpNfmVcHDWTef6FwR13c1hHHU_zShHa2DSSFYhZGy8FNXfoVC3H-3cvCzM0JNWjjIN-f9FAprOWu3_Psq36rTGc5E4j9HTWllYfefBd1WfDOd1TO5dTw/s1600-h/IMG_0024.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080522048396826722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG_mzTadcE1DFFEruCpNfmVcHDWTef6FwR13c1hHHU_zShHa2DSSFYhZGy8FNXfoVC3H-3cvCzM0JNWjjIN-f9FAprOWu3_Psq36rTGc5E4j9HTWllYfefBd1WfDOd1TO5dTw/s400/IMG_0024.jpg" border="0" /></a>Lettuce, tomato, hamburger patty, cheese, bacon, and a hotlink. <br /><br />You can only get this at the lovely, locally owned Silver Fork. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php">Local is better</a>. You cannot get it at Applebee's. I don't even like Applebee's. <br /><br />I guess that makes me a <a href="http://www.starling-fitness.com/archives/2007/06/26/food-snobbery/">food snob</a>. Maybe Laura will pat my head and talk about her poop.<br /><br />Here's something for you to think about: corporate hegemony is ethnic hegemony. Discuss.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-39023597319325192082007-06-25T23:48:00.000-07:002007-06-26T07:29:09.262-07:00Man Vs. Wild<a href="http://img.verycd.com/posts/0701/post-433743-1168177655.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://img.verycd.com/posts/0701/post-433743-1168177655.jpg" border="0" /></a>I'm slightly obsessed with this show, <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/manvswild/manvswild.html">Man Vs. Wild</a>.<br /><br />The presenter is a British survivalist who's name is Bear, but he doesn't look grizzley; in fact, I think the little gear he does have with him is pretty high tech and expensive, from his knife, to his watch, to his high tech microfiber clothes.<br /><br />He's always talking about the culturally appropriate survival techniques of the indiginous people, as well as the plants and animals of a certain region. Which means he's done his homework.<br /><br />He is always wet and dirty, and I think I just saw him eat a live frog. I definitely saw him roast a turtle on a four-point Seminole fire, beat hypothermia by soaking in a pool he created when he dammed up a run-off stream of geothermally boiling water, and find clean drinking water in an underground lava tube. I'm pretty sure he also took off his shirt and showered himself with coconut milk, which if you ask me was slightly gratuitous, but I myself have always wanted to taste like Thai food....<br /><br />Here's what I want to know: his camara man has to do all the same crazy stuff Bear has to do in order to get the shots; i.e., swimming in alligator infested waters, dropping out of an airplane onto a glacier and a lava field, scaling clffs... does the camera crew have to do all of that? Do they all have to sleep on a platform in the Everglades and get eaten alive by mosquitos? Or share an ice cave? Or eat a live frog? Do they help him when he almost freezes to death in a frozen river?<br /><br />What I really want to know is how much this guy gets paid. I bet it's a lot.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-42555837248239663252007-06-25T20:18:00.000-07:002007-06-26T08:37:16.023-07:00The Drug House<a href="http://members.aol.com/planetmac/whistle/turkey.gif"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 320px;" alt="" src="http://members.aol.com/planetmac/whistle/turkey.gif" border="0" /></a> So if I look straight out my front door, I see what the neighbors used to call "the drug house." I guess it was really bad in the 90s; the boys of that house ruled our little neighborhood, and the neighborhood was the most dangerous in the city.<br /><br />The drug family has since moved away, and they're building skinny townhouses on my street, filled with white people who drive up my property value.<br /><br />So when the ice cream truck comes to the neighborhood, I only hear it for a minute, anymore.<br /><br />Not like when the drug family was there. When the drug family was there, the ice cream truck would show up and PARK in front of the drug house, for hours at a time, with the damn Turkey In The Straw song playing CONTINUOUSLY. <br /><br />Selling *ice cream?* No.<br /><br />And to boot, it's that stupid version with the hand claps.<br /><br />(one) TWO! THREE! (four, one) TWO! THREE! (four, one) TWO! (three) FOUR! (one) TWO! THREE!....<br /><br />Does the hand clapping make us enjoy that damn song more?<br /><br />Anyway, the drug family is gone, so the ice cream truck doesn't park in front of the drug house anymore.<br /><br />I'm so glad they're gone.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-29094094391987546922007-06-25T12:49:00.001-07:002007-06-26T08:38:08.978-07:001988 called. It wants its song back.<object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2CrwUKlXopU"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2CrwUKlXopU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />I had forgotten how much I loved this song.jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-70980928900378699562007-06-25T09:32:00.000-07:002007-06-25T17:14:37.259-07:00Maps of Spanish Verb TensesSo I'm seeing a lot of people click over to and email links to my <a href="http://jpv206.blogspot.com/2007/06/map-of-present-tense-in-spanish.html">Map of the Present Tense</a>, and its companion <a href="http://jpv206.blogspot.com/2007/06/map-of-preterit-tense.html">Map of the Preterit Tense</a>. <br /><br />How funny! Who knew such a wonkish post would be so popular....<br /><br />So here are my questions for you all...<br /><ul><li>How did you find my site? Did someone point it out to you, or did you stumble across it?</li><li>Are you studying Spanish? Teaching it? How do you plan to use the maps? </li><li>Do you want to see more of my materials? I have other verb tenses, as well as materials for the subjunctive mood, if you're interested. </li></ul>Hope to hear from you!jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104294.post-49968505411291512922007-06-25T00:52:00.000-07:002007-06-25T08:56:01.575-07:00Go to hell, Michelle Malkin<div align="center"><blockquote><div align="center"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >"Those who would give up essential liberty </span></div><div align="center"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >to purchase a little temporary safety </span></div><div align="center"><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;" >deserve neither liberty nor safety." </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><div align="center"><br /><em>Benjamin Franklin</em></div></span></blockquote></div>jp 吉平http://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.com0