Farrago

Upgrade for Dao By Design

If ever in the future this blog dies or simply fades into obscurity it’ll be for one simple reason – Dao By Design. The bastard. As long-time readers might be aware, my full-time gig isn’t witty Chinese commentary (some would argue it’s not even my part-time gig). To keep the lights on, I run a …

March 28, 2008
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English movie cinema in Suzhou

There were a few major adjustments I had to undergo when I moved to Suzhou from Dalian back in August 2006, namely: a lack of abundant Korean food, no Walmart, no slick light-rail mass transit, and no English-language movie theatres. Well, it’s been a year and a half and I’m happy to report that this …

March 25, 2008
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What would you do if I sang out of tune?

A Canadian friend of mine here in Suzhou is getting married this weekend and he’s asked me to be the English-language emcee (it’s bilingual, as the bride is a Suzhou local – so maybe trilingual?) at his wedding. Fortunately for me, my job is mostly translational and I’ll not have to give any long and/or …

March 20, 2008
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My Favourite (Suzhou) Blogs

It used to be that I’d skim 10-20 blogs a day, with even more sitting in my feed reader should I have the extra time. I love blogs, love blogging and love the China blogsphere. In fact, it was just that love for it all that led me to setup the Hao Hao Report, a …

March 3, 2008
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Lost Laowai author hunt

Hey folks, if you’ve ever considered writing about your experiences in China, or currently write a personal blog and would like to get a bit more exposure, please check out the following: We’re looking for a few good Laowai. As most of you likely know, Lost Laowai is my “other” baby site. It’s one part …

February 23, 2008
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Puppy Power in the PRC Part II

Well, it’s the end of day three with the puppy and I dare say there’s not a place she hasn’t marked with a little bit of puppy love. The physics of a puppy astound me. I swear more comes out of her than goes in. But for every ounce of patience she takes from me, …

February 19, 2008
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Puppy Power in the PRC

It’s somewhat amazing how quickly a relatively calm and orderly life can be turned into a non-stop “no!” shouting, pee cleaning, slobber and hair covered existence. We got a puppy! Maggie and I have long talked about getting a dog, and in the end always had something looming that prevented us (mostly financial or geographical). …

February 18, 2008
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A reminder of the way things were

Maggie returns home today after spending the Spring Festival holidays at her parents’ place up in the North East. For the last nine days I’ve been thrown back into a lifestyle I had nearly forgotten – bachelorhood. Now before images of me out all night sniffin’ coke off the scarred ass of a 50 kuai …

February 14, 2008
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Suzhou burr-ied in snow

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has issued a “Red Alert” for a good chunk of the country due to wide-spread snow storms. Looking out my window it’s not hard to see why. Suzhou, a city that might see one light dusting of snow a year is covered in 2+ feet of the white stuff. Needless …

January 28, 2008
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ChinesePod affiliate program back up

ChinesePod.com, one of the pioneers for learning languages via podcasts, has recently relaunched their affiliate program, and I gotta say, it’s better than ever. An affiliate program might not mean much to many of you, but I know a lot of folks that read this blog regularly also run their own China-related blogs and sites, …

January 22, 2008
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Tom Cruise makes my thetans tingle

I’m no fan of “organized” religions by any stretch. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists… they all astound me in the faith they have for something that for all intents and purposes doesn’t exist but for the fact that they will it to. What further astounds me are the things that are and have been done under …

January 20, 2008
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