To sum it up...

Topic of the day: Sheila's 2005 year in review

 

In Brief

I think one word and one phrase that best sums up 2005 is Change and Expect the Unexpected.  2005 has been an exciting year in many different aspects my life: graduation from university, moving to Beijing, discovering new parts of the world, etc.  Most of these what happened in 2005, save things like uni graduation, I would have never expected to have happen to me in my wildest dreams.  Then again, I guess you never do foresee all the curves that life takes you.  Hopefully, 2006 will be equally exhilarating and that I will have the luck and the courage to live each day to the fullest!  

 

The Good

Definitely one of the top "good" for 2005 is my graduation from university!  After four years of hard, studious work and sacrifices (okay, just a BIT of an exaggeration...), I managed to graduate with a major and a minor that I was content.  It's true what they say: four years do pass in a blink of an eye.  My last 2 semesters proved to be an especially memorable time, especially with all the random rendezvous with Short Shit and Steprincess.  Even though I was reluctant to leave and enter into the "real world", I think it was about time for me to move on.  It was time to pursue bigger and better things in the world!

 

Graduation also means another thing: the start of the "real world" (I'm not a fan of that phrase, by the way).  Even though my professional life started out a bit slow the first three months, I had the good fortune of landing my current gig at H&K.  I'm enjoying myself a lot more now and am looking forward to where this road will take me.

 

2005 proved to be a great traveling year for me.  Throughout the course of the year, I found myself everywhere from NYC to Kalamazoo, from Miami to Chicago, from Beijing to Shanghai, from where the Great Wall meets the sea to where the Great Wall comes to its end, from Xining to Tsingdao, and from Southeast Asia to Tibet.  What fabulous memories!  Nothing beats watching sunrise from the north face of Mt. Everest or Angkor Wat.  Partying in the same Miami club as 50 Cent was also notable, as was staying a night with a Laotian family, or getting tipsy on Tsingdao Beers in Tsingdao, or befriending monks in the Potala Palace.  Along the way, I had the luck of meeting some wonderful, wonderful people.  Not only did they brighten my time and made the trips more fun, but also contributed to my awareness of why the world is such a beautiful place.  Hope this trend of travels and adventures will continue well into 2006 and beyond!!

 

Speaking of travelling, one of the most dramatic turns of events in 2005 was my move to Beijing.  Who knew?  Not even I, that's for sure!  And what a great place to be!  I've always wanted to live in a foreign country for a long-ish period of time.  While Beijing (or anywhere else in China really) was never really my first choice, now that I look back, I am glad that I made the decision.  Beijing is definitely an addictive place to be.  No, scratch that.  China, is an addictive place to be.  Its rush to develop itself, its breathtaking landscapes, diversity, and its beauty and chaos all makes for an exceptionally interesting and exciting environment.  The world is watching China right now and being able to have your own eyewitness account of it is second to none.

 

The Bad

I still try to live my life with the theory of having no regrets.  But it's hard not to look back sometimes and feel a hint of remorse.  For one, while I did meet some great people in 2005, there were just as many good-bye's, if not more.  Due to the circumstances, I never got to say a proper good-bye to many.  

 

Another thing: I still haven't completely quit smoking yet.  Shame on me, I know.  What can I say, bad habits die hard.  :-/

 

And lastly, the unexpected passing of a loved one is never easy to deal with.  This proved to be the lowest of the lows in 2005. 

 

The Ugly

Tibetan toilets (including Tibet).  You have to see it to believe it.

 

In Sum

Just remember: you never know where life's twists and turns will take you.  All you can do and what's most recommended is: smile, sit back, and enjoy the ride.  And take a few pictures along the way.

 

Ohhh-la-la

Topic of the day: New website discoveries made today

 

http://www.stuffonmycat.com

 

http://www.43things.com

 

Some good stuff...  my favorite is the sleeping fat cat in overalls :)

Christmas Eve Photo

Taken during Christmas Eve dinner. Guess which one is me. Hint: not the Asian girl in the redish sweater. Thanks, Troy, for the picture.

Again, happy holidays to all!

Ho ho ho

Topic of the day: A Beijing Christmas

 

'Tis the time of year for mistletoes and egg nogs, snow flakes and candy canes, christmas trees and holiday songs.  Being in Beijing, the following is more likely to be christmas lights and traffic jams, smog and an occasional glass of mulled wine, plastic christmas trees and there-would've-been-snow-had-there-been-any-precipitation. But of course, celebrating the holidays in Beijing has its charms.

 

Living in a foreign foreign city generally means that the holiday season is a time to catch up with old friends, meeting new ones, or developing better relationships with existing ones.  For little ol' "local plus" me, this past weekend proved itself to be quite busy.  Notable activities this Christmas weekend included KTV with colleagues, Christmas Eve dinner with Beijing trainee friends and FOAs, AIESEC China's MC Christmass party, and ice skating and ice chairing at Hohai Lake with Stephanie.  All those proved to be very enjoyable activities, though it is still with regret that I have to admit to myself that even though I am not tone deaf, I am far from being the next pop star (in China or America).

 

Now with the lovely three day Christmas weekend over, the countdown has begun for the New Years...  It should be interesting!

Bad Monk

Topic of the day: Cheeky monks

 

While at lunch with two colleagues today, we started on the topic of seeing monks in Asia doing stuff that's very un-monkly.  For example, stories of monks watching porn and being plastered.  For example, while in Southeast Asia this summer, my image of monks there were shattered when I saw smoking monks on several different occasions.  Anyway, there was one particularly funny cheeky monk story:

 

A few years ago, one of my colleagues was traveling through the Chinese city of Xining, Qinghai Province.  As I have mentioned in my blog when I was traveling through Xining this past October, the city has a great night food market.  My colleague also stopped by the food market one night while he was there and started eating some lamb kebabs and drinking a few beers when he started chatting to an Asian guy.  Turned out he was Japanese and was traveling as well, eventually making his way into Tibet.  While they chatted, the Japanese guy also ordered up lamb skewers and beers.  They were chatting along merrily when the Japanese guy revealed to my colleague that he was a monk.  My colleague looked at him and said, "aren't monks not suppose to eat meat or drink alcohol?"

 

The Japanese thought about it for a few seconds and then replied: "I'm a bad monk"

Desperate!

Topic of the day: How TV is becoming globalized

 

Last night, I had the pleasure of watching the first few episodes of Desperate Housewives on CCTV 8...in Chinese!  The show was making headlines because it's very rare for the Chinese government to allow such a "racey" show to be broadcasted on state TV. 

 

True, I still prefer the original voices, but after a while, you start to enjoy watching the words not go along with the mouth movement...  In any case, I'm just glad I can watch Desperate Housewives - saves me from buying the DVD box set!  

Slip & Slide

Topic of the day: Small winter revelation

 

Skiing in the outskirts of Beijing sure as hell beats snow boarding in Kalamazoo, Michigan!

My two pence's worth

Topic of the day: Ode to a petal

 

Tis' suppose to be the jolly season, a season of good tidings and good wishes.  However, spending Christmas in China is significantly different then spending it in the states.  For one, whatever Christmas decorations there are is actually put up close to Christmas time (and not around Thanksgiving time).  As well, due to Beijing's low precipitation level, the slight chances of catching a white Christmas in the States is decreased even lower in the Northern Capital.  And lastly, because Christmas is not a traditionally popular holiday, the story behind why the holiday is celebrated is relatively unknown (a few years ago, I watched a news report where the reporter was asking local Beijingers why they think Christmas is celebrated.  An old woman replied that it was to mark the day Santa brings gifts to children around the world.  Cute.  Kind of.).

 

This year in Beijing, Christmas season seems to mark the beginning of the season when it feels like everyone is leaving - either for temporary family visits or permanently leaving China.  First to go is Michelle.

 

This past weekend marked the dear petal's last days in Beijing.  After a three month stint at a local PR agency, she originally planned on going home for a temporary family visit, which developed into a last minute decision to not come back.  So, in her honor, because it feels like she's my first substantial friend here who have permanently left China, here's a short list of my best memories of Michelle:

 

1. "Don't even make me add my two pence's worth" - during a break between a long distance bus trip between Xiahe and Xining

2. On the same bus trip, eating a whole bag of stale prawn crackers in one sitting

3. "You monkey!"

 

So farewell, old girl - best of luck in all your endeavours and cheers, petal, to all your dry, sarcastic, but very funny British comments!

 

 

Just like ol' times...

Topic of the day: A little weekend reunion

 

The last time that I saw Keith, aka Short Shit, was almost exactly a year ago.  Since his graduation from IU, Stephanie and I have missed him very much, always reminiscing about good times and wishing he was with us.

 

To our great excitement, Little One made a last minute decision to come to Beijing (from Hong Kong) this weekend!  He originally came to see another friend, but then gained some consciense and decided to spend most of his time with Steprincess and I.  Thus, I had my first guest at my apartment this (well, technically two guests, including Steph).  

 

It was great seeing Keith again.  He put on a few pounds (mostly muscle weight), but was still the same old Keith.  For most of the weekend, either Steph or I hung out with Keith when we were not all together.  Even though a year has passed since the three of us all hung out together, it still feels just like yesterday - so much has changed, yet so little.  It really reminds me of the recurring quote in  One Hundred Years of Solitude, something that Ursula said to the effects of how time has passed, but not really.  As well, it's very odd that after a year of separation, we all meet again on the opposite side of the world. 

 

The weekend brought back many memories of our senior year at uni - random trips to the lakes, midnight walks through the cemetery, climbing through Stephanie's balcony window in hopes of trying to scare Lala...and just good old hanging out. 

 

Because we're all very different people, especially me compared with the two of them (they're Kelly brats, what can I say ;-) ), it's very odd how we have all become such good friends and maintained our friendship.  But I dare say that it's a very good stroke of luck on all our parts for I know that my last years of uni would not have been that memorable had it not been for Kimchi and Short Shit.  :)

Beer at Work

Topic of the day: Give me some beer!

 

I'm coming to realize that PR companies have some unexpected perks.  For example, one of our company's client is Tsingdao Beer Company.  As a result, there's a fridge in the company pantry that's always filled with cans of beer.  These beer are open for the taking, considering you take them relatively later in the afternoon.  So right now, as I'm typing this blog, I'm enjoying a nice cold can of Tsingdao beer.  Ahhhh, nothing beats beer while you work!  :-D

Shit, it's cold!!!

Topic of the day: Beijing winters

 

After having experienced the longest & mildest autumn in Beijing in five years, today another record is broken.  At 30 degrees Fahrenheit (not taking in mind the freezing Siberian winds), Beijing is going through its coldest winter in 50 years for this time of year.  Shit, it's bloody freezing cold!!!

Good-bye to the old, hello to the new!

Topic of the day: How Sheila has been spending her time!

 

So lots of things have happened since my last update on my humble little blog for all of my two faithful readers!

 

This past Tuesday, I finished my 3 months long internship with General Motors.  Three months has flown by, and it was a good experience on my side.  That said, I will start my new gig tomorrow (Monday morning) at H&K.  I'm looking forward to the new job at a new company! 

 

I have been preoccupied the past five days since the end of my internship with one thing: moving!  After months of anticipation, I am finally moving into my own flat, all the way on the other side of town in Chaoyang District!  It's a second hand two bedroom apartment in a great location in town - right by Chaoyang Park west gate.  That means I can cross the street to a little strip of good restaurants, nice bars, and a Jenny Lou's (international supermarket that has the best cheese selection I've ever seen in Beijng).  And to be honest, although I was not a huge fan of my apartment complex when I first saw it (it's a rather kitch looking complex), it is growing on me.  Besides the great location, the complex also have a large expat population.  Apparently, back when Beijing required foreign expats to live in designated complexes, this was one of them.  Today, the population of my little neighborhood remains at about 60% foreigners.  This also means that my cable TV (provided by apartment management) have Russian, Korean, Japanese, German, and French channels.  And, of course, CNN.

 

Decorating and furnishing the apartment was another challenge.  I've never been responsible for furnishing such a large endeavor before, and it did prove to be quite stressful.  Ikea in Beijing is hell on weekends.  And although I still do not approve of my apartment's color palate (disclaimer: I did not partake in choosing the green walls or the pink curtains) and although the flat is still a bit bare, it's starting to feel a bit homier.  I think my Tibetan prayer flags does the trick.  :)