http://www.elasticpeople.net Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:20:25 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I know it seems like I complain a lot about the way things are done here and I also know that from time to time before I left the Land of Milk and Honey, I was also known to express my displeasure at events upon occasion. However, I present to ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/03/09/take-pride-in-your-work/ Driving here is an amazing spectacle. What you are doing on the road is the least important thing in the world when compared with what the other driver's actions so frequently are. Highlights I have seen on major roads: 1. Stopping in the middle of your lane to talk to someone ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/03/02/driving-in-this-country/ Yesterday we went for a drive following Russell who lives by us and works at school. We drove north to the huntong he rents up in the mountains. Along the way we saw this which is a completely unrestored section of The Wall. Later we saw a section that has been ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/02/16/goodness-gracious-great-wall-of-china/ All this week (and the end of last week) people have been getting ready for Chinese new year, which is tonight apparently. There seems to be a very precise day by day structure to the preparations and it goes like this: Friday 5th of February: Just after sundown a few fire ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/02/13/bracing-for-chinese-new-year/ Since we've now got a car, it's possible to go a bit further afield for our entertainment. So on Friday night, we drove to a German restaurant near Steve's school (not very far, but too far to walk, and it's way too cold to ride our bikes at 8pm). Schindler's ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/02/07/schindlers-haltestelle-shunyi-beijing/ If you had told me 10 years ago that one day I would own a big ol' SUV I would have laughed right in your face. Gone are the days of the Wanker Sticker Idea* Adam and I had back in 2003. I present to you my new old car: a ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/02/07/a-new-old-car/ M says a lot of awesome stuff these days. She is starting to speak Chinese and yesterday when i got home from work I was greeted with, "Ni hao daddy." Often when she has run out of something she says, "Mei you," which means I've got none. The best was today ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/02/02/daddy-keeps-me-safe/ Here is the promised picture of Em from Saturday's trip to the water park: As you will note, toddlers are not known for their fashion sense or ability to chose just one item to wear at any given time! (She didn't actually wear her trousers or tshirt in the water, but ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/01/27/from-the-pages-of-vogue/ We went to Merry Super Happy Water Park on Saturday with about 60 other westerners from ISB and WAB. We all drove in a big long convoy of about 14 four wheel drives and must have been quite a sight for the guards at the gate to the car park. The ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/01/25/merry-happy-super-lucky-joy-fun-water-park/ My old friend Glen died of a massive heart attack last night. Bradley and Samantha (his young kids) and Lee (his wife) will surely feel something that no one else can even go near right now. I always say that I never know what to say when something tragic happens ... http://www.elasticpeople.net/2010/01/18/glen-has-passed-away/