On the Fringe

Trouble?

globalgal — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:51:58 +0000

This is what trouble looks like – pilots not flying…

Friends at Julia’s Cafe

electricity woes

globalgal — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:22:49 +0000

The electricity in our neighborhood has gone out four times in the last hour… and it’s -2C outside… and our central heating was turned off last month since, officially, it’s Spring here in Linyi. I guess everyone’s got their electric heaters turned on. No related posts. No related posts.

Hot Pot For Women’s Day

globalgal — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:34:38 +0000

Happy Women’s Day!

How come we don’t celebrate this in the US?

The DH & I decided to eat hot pot and then go to our friend Julia’s cafe. She was holding a promotion to get a free cocktail just by wearing a qipao. Yes, I did spend the evening in a cafe/bar wearing a Chinese dress. None of the Chinese girls were even wearing one.

We took a gypsy cab to the restaurant and the driver had the strangest tick. Every three seconds or so he’d grip the steering wheel tightly and pull himself forward. He did this repeatedly throughout the drive. The worst the traffic, the more frequently he rocked himself forward. Hilarious. But not as funny as this guy:

Photograph hanging on the wall at our fave hot pot place.
I know, it is revolting. You should see this kind of thing in real life!

CNY Resolutions

globalgal — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:51:13 +0000

That would be Chinese New Year Resolutions. ‘Cause in my world, the new year just started.

I like that I got a month and a half reprieve from non-lunar calendar New Year Resolutions, since my number one top resolution is, as always, to stop procrastinating so much. A month and a half of procrastinating before I must give it up! Consulting the calendar (lunar or not) I see that we are officially three weeks into the year of the tiger so yet again my goal to end procrastination this year is FAIL. Oh well.

Resolutions for the Year of the Tiger:

Procrastinate less FAIL (But I swear I will keep trying.)
Drastically improve Mandarin and finish the Heisig book (such good intentions here, honestly!)
After I recommitted myself to this goal last year, I worked very hard for a while… and then I just didn’t. It’s frustrating here in Linyi because I can’t understand anything local people say. Then I seem to do okay in Beijing so I think I must be learning something. It’s gotten to the point where when people ask me how long I’ve lived here, I’m tempted to say “six months” so I don’t have to deal with the shame of not speaking Mandarin after four years…
Incorporate more creative pursuits into daily life
Create something! Take more photographs, write a story, sew something, draw. I don’t know, I just feel like I don’t do enough of this anymore. I just watch movies and look at magazines. And then I read my friend Tova’s blog and she’s making ball gowns and hair accessories and cooking up a storm and I feel like a big lazy loser.
Exercise (another perennial favorite)
Learn to love Linyi again, or at least tolerate her better
There are cracks in my fine expat existence. Linyi is not all she used to be. When I go out for walks, all I see are the coal-stained buildings and the litter in the street and I know I can be more positive than this. When the warm weather comes, if it ever does, the DH and I are going bike riding. Bike riding always makes us appreciate Linyi.

I would add something about eating more nutritious and healthy foods to the list, but in Linyi the kind of foods I think are healthy and nutritious are nowhere to be found. Besides, for the first time in my life I have normal cholesterol levels. So maybe the Linyi diet – indiscriminate consumption of lamb fat/pork fat, the way-too-occasional McDonald’s cheeseburger and lots of fried everything – is the secret to good health.

In addition to these resolutions, I have a big wish for the new year, but I’m afraid to type it here, don’t want to jinx it or anything. Just a favor – can you send some positive thoughts and good energy my way? Because I’m a firm believer in the power of the mind and maybe we can make my wish come true!

No related posts.

I’m Unravelling, In a Good Way

globalgal — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:19:28 +0000

I’ve just began an online creativity course, because sometimes it is hard to be creative in a gray little city still holding on to winter. The course is called Unravelling and I suspect it is about a lot more than just creativity.

“The Unravelling process is a new way to view your world, taking time to appreciate the beauty around you. And we do this in the simplest way – we stop and look.”

If all goes as planned, On the Fringe might take a step towards my other alter-ego and become a bit artsy-smartsy. (Global Gal and artsy-smartsy being my two online personas.) I used to be a pretty creative person… hoping to get back to that. (Beyond just creating interesting headers for the blog that is, haha.)

No related posts.

Flat Stanley Likes Harbin Beer – WW #34

globalgal — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:13:39 +0000

Flat Stanley likes Harbin Beer

Is it subversive to pose an elementary school project with a ginormous bottle of beer?! We struggled to pose Stanley so it appeared he was embracing the bottle, but there’s only so much you can do at -20C! This is just a sneak peek of more Harbin photos and commentary to come!

So I’m 34 – Still Not A Grown Up!

globalgal — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:31:09 +0000

My new iphone case

Yesterday was my birthday. My 34th birthday. I’m not at all sure this is appropriate for a 34 year old woman, but since it is quite normal to decorate your home, desk and car with stuffed animals and cartoons at any age in China, I figured this was okay. And besides, I might be 34 but I don’t feel it. I’m starting to realize that the day when you supposedly feel “like an adult” never actually arrives. Right? Because I, more or less, feel pretty much the same way I did at 18. Okay, I’m a lot more world aware… but I’m not a “grown up.” Not yet!

The iphone case, btw, was purchased at a shop in Linyi called Little Seven. It’s an accessories store where you can buy hair clips, belts, wallets, scarves, bags and all sorts of random crap. The case above cost me 12RMB or ~$1.75. I also got one in a Louis Vuitton pattern with a giant gold Gucci teddy bear in the middle – because it was so authentic I couldn’t pass it up!

No related posts.

Weekly Round-Up and a Little Whining

globalgal — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:23:06 +0000

A little whining first: Over the years I have become a bit of a news critic, especially since becoming involved in aviation – there is a lot of disinformation out there. It was only today, however, that I learned that the news media often goof when it comes to another topic – my beloved Spanish principality of Asturias. You remember Asturias, right? It’s where the DH is from, where I was married, where I spend holidays. It’s also the best place in Spain, in my humble opinion. Because it is far north and not warm and sunny, Asturias is often ignored by tourists, who rush to the southern beaches instead. And that’s fine. Asturias is our little secret. However, it is one thing to keep Asturias’ on the down low, it is quite another thing to deny it exists at all!

The real Asturias

Hurricane strength winds have been battering the northwestern coast of the Iberian Peninsula this weekend, creating some spectacular crashing waves all across the north coast. The DH and I surfed several websites, including the BBC, to read about the storm. Imagine our surprise to find that Asturias isn’t even mentioned!

From the BBC: Storm Lashes Spain, Portugal and France

“Spain’s north-western region of Galicia, the Basque country, Castilla y Leon and Cantabria were also on high alert.”

Hmmm…. west to east: Galicia, Castilla y Leon, Cantabria and the Basque Country… They’re not missing anything are they?? Or is it just possible that Asturias is not on high alert? Knowing the rocky coastline, Asturias is definitely getting hit by some pretty impressive waves at the moment.

How the world media sees Asturias

The DH informs me that it is quite common for Asturias to be ignored like this.

And in other news… Linyi is getting hit with a storm of its own. It’s been thundering, lightning and raining all day. Here’s hoping the rain will wash some of the pollution away and we have clear skies tomorrow.

I really have absolutely nothing to blog about in this weekly round-up. The past week has been decidedly b-o-r-i-n-g.

I flew back to Linyi on Tuesday. As you might have read in one of my mini-asides posts, my flight was delayed. It was one of the most bizarre delayed flights I have ever experienced. Due to depart at 8AM, we were told the flight could not take off because of poor weather in Linyi. This is pretty common on foggy winter mornings. By 10AM, there was still no news about when we could take off. The airport staff passed out bottles of water and bread rolls. Suddenly, a manager-looking person made an announcement and all the Linyi passengers got up and followed him. So I followed him, too. Turns out we were being taken to a hotel “to rest” until the flight could depart. It was pretty surprising. The hotel turned out to be a very nice one, with chicly designed rooms. Once I had settled in though, I realized that no matter how cute the room, I couldn’t ignore the loud “cluck, cluck” and rooster calls coming from the absurdly huge chicken flock in the field just below my window. At 12 we were summoned down to the dining room for some free food, which was mediocrity at its best, but free so I shouldn’t complain. The whole lunch was incredibly awkward because I was surrounded by the other passengers who couldn’t stop staring at my every move and asking me every question they could think of. One guy spoke some English and he translated the questions I could not understand. Talk about the third degree! We were finally returned to the airport at about 5PM and arrived in Linyi around 7PM. I didn’t like being delayed, but I have never seen an airline provide so much for a stranded group of passengers, without anyone demanding or getting angry. Before we boarded the flight to Linyi, they lined us all up and handed out 100RMB notes. Strange! I expected to be left all day sitting and waiting on a cold metal airport seat.

Anyway, I’ve spent the last few days watching movies (a lot of movies) and trying to ignore that nagging feeling that I should go to work… Tomorrow will bring that dreaded return to reality I blogged about before.

Have a great week!

A Long Ago Desert Storm

globalgal — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:55 +0000

Iraqi trench in the Kuwaiti desert

Nineteen years? Really? Every year on the anniversary of the liberation,
I am astounded by the passage of time.

Today is Kuwait’s Liberation Day. (Yesterday was Independence Day.)
I can’t help but think of Kuwait this week!

Cuz I’m a Foreign Girl

globalgal — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:00:29 +0000

Spotted in a Linyi supermarket, I am seriously tempted to buy a bottle of this:

I mean, I am the target market here, right? This wine is meant for me? The foreign girl? The DH scoffed at the idea of paying money for what is surely shite, but I am very, very curious!

Wouldn’t you be? This stuff supposedly moistens the lungs through some kind of “schisandra element, volatile oil and multiple microelements.” It also enriches the. And it’s all for me. ‘Cuz I’m a foreign girl. Thanks, Changbaishan!

Edited to add: I realize that I’ve said very little about wine availability here in China and Linyi more specifically. I’ll have to work up a post on that topic. I will say that I’ve tried a few Chinese wines, varying from barely drinkable to not all that bad. It’s not something we experiment with too much, however, because really, what a shame and waste to throw wine out.