I wore a seatbelt today

First time since I been here. Now before you go getting all bent out of shape, the only opportunity to wear a seat belt is in cabs, and then only when you are banished to the front seat, forced to talk to the cab driver about the traffic of Beijing and how the US is a “good country”, despite the fact that the only real contact he may have had with the US is his son’s infatuation with the NBA. It was nice to have a glimpse of the life of safety in the US- we are safe, over safe, yet accidents still happen there and year. When I bike to work I am the ONLY person wearing a helmet. Yet everyone bikes. 85, sure, with ol’ granny nugget in tow. 11, she can ride a bike too. My favorite is the under 4 years that are on the back of their mom’s bike on the ‘rat trap’ just holding on. Sometimes they have special little people handles; sometimes he’s just free riding it. Crazy little guys.

I also made breakfast, twice now, with bacon, so-called “American Style” but really just ham with fat attached. Made a sandwich out of it today, bread was bad so I may stick with the Chineeeesse food, it is always yum.

Missing y’all, ‘preciate those of you that send me emails with notes like “P.S. I'm still a religious reader of your hilarious blog. Keep it up…” –Hillie O’B, she’s a TOTAL lamb.

Just got back from a house party where I actually knew a fair amount of people, my scene I guess. Mostly americanos, honky’s, been here for a bit [not Lao Beijing like me though] [Lao means old, as in lao shi teacher or Lao Wu as Wu Xia calls Xiao Wu, indicating he is no longer Xiao – meaning small- cuz he’s old, even though he doesn’t show it- he passes on his surname, Wu to his daughter] [sorry for that total tangent but I want to make sure this is crystal to those of y’all who hadn’t had the Chyna experience yet] so they are a cool crowd. Not as worldly as I may like, turns out I can hang out with the honky Dubya haters in Denver, but a cool group of kids. Even though 80% of the party was Lao wai [literally old outside, meaning foreigners], the toilet seat remained up for the entire party, so funny, but no one was wearing their cell phone around their neck [many Chinese find this is a convenient and fashionable way to be a slave to your cellie]. My favorite is when people get all snooty about having lived in Beijing for so long, over a year, oh my gosh, the city this… and I’m like really… ha funny funny, Lao Beijing.

Tomorrow apt hunting with Summer, hope for the best.

Happy Birthday Lindsay. Love from Beijing to Boulder Woman!