Yearly Archives: 2006

Dalian Is A Beautiful City

I’ve lived here in Dalian for about a year and a half and in that time I’ve heard the following line more times than I care to count: “Dalian is a clean and beautiful city.” It must have been written in the “How to Properly Promote Dalian to Foreign Visitors and Residents” pamphlet that’s handed …

July 8, 2006
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You Down With RMB?
Yeah, You Know Me

没有钱?没问题. 如果你住在中国和你是外国人, 快块不太困难获得. I’m not sure why I decided to write that in Chinese. Mostly to see if I could… and I couldn’t. I mean, the grammar is likely off and I needed to look up those last four characters. The statement is true though. For those that don’t understand (English, or Chinese)… what I …

July 5, 2006
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HoliDAY & A Ticket To Ride

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” Well, I am was officially on holidays. Michael Corleone’s words have been ringing in my head all day. Yesterday, after emptying my desk, I was sure I was done with teaching for the summer, but such was not in the cards. I’ve just …

July 4, 2006
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Kaifaqu: Well Developed

In my roughly year and a half of living in the Dalian area I know I’ve mentioned Kaifaqu 开发区 a half dozen times, but I don’t think I’ve ever done the place proper justice. I love it. It’s everything Dalian claims to be but isn’t. It’s clean(er), has more greenery and less people. It’s quaint, …

July 2, 2006
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Oh… Canada!

Hey, so it’s my nation’s birthday today. Good on it for making it to… what is it now… 139 years old. After proudly exclaiming to Maggie this morning that it’s Canada Day! (and in turn having to explain that means it’s Canada’s version of National Day), she informed me of the origins of my flag. …

July 1, 2006
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Respokenly Bespoken

I've always been rather impulsive with the things I want to say. This blog tends to be a written testament to that, as I've more than once just spouted off on something with entirely too little thought as to where I was going to go when I got into the idea that was trying to …

June 26, 2006
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iPod? Naw, iPoor – uPod

Ok, so I keep returning to this topic again, and again, and again, but it’s not my fault really… people keep reporting on it, I keep responding to it. It’s a shaky system, but it works. This time the point of focus is on none other than Apple. Like Google, I think Apple’s marketing people …

June 25, 2006
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‘Push Me Pull Me’ Media

Since I was a kid I have always had a pretty active interest in both the world around me and the world inside me. I would consider myself somewhat well-educated, somewhat well-read, and somewhat well-intuned with my spirituality. I’m by no means claiming to have mastered any of these to any remarkable level… just somewhat.Lately …

June 24, 2006
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vLog.05: Dalian Tour

Ok, I know this is cheating a little bit. I got a bit carried away in my geekdom today and made a little video tour of Dalian with Google Earth (and a bit of video ripping software as I’ve not got the $400 to get the Pro version). Good news is you wont have to …

June 21, 2006
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The Hypocrisy of Animal Rights

[in translation via ESWN] Chickens were turned into meatballs for hotpot meals and the slaughter of the chickens took place right on the street not far away from the diners. This scene occurred at a newly opened restaurant “Fangji Chicken Meatball Restaurant” in Shenzhen. Yesterday afternoon, almost one hundred animal rights defenders gathered in front …

June 20, 2006
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Thanks Dad

So… thanks for being a great Dad. Thanks for being there when I need you most, and letting me sort it out myself when you know I can. Thanks for knowing when to speak and knowing when to listen. Thanks for never being patronizing, and always offering thoughtful and useful advice. Thanks for trying to …

June 19, 2006
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