I've been home for a week now... and I still feel jet-lagged. Is that possible? Maybe it's just because I'm sick on top of everything else. I almost never get sick, but I have a knack for always falling ill on birthdays, holidays and the first week of school. Dang it! I had hoped to have fun and catch up with people this weekend but all I feel like doing now is sleeping, sleeping and then sleeping some more.

First week of Chinese classes are now over. If it's possible to be failing already, I think I am. But seriously, what kind of professor gives a Chinese quiz on the first week of classes?  I am determined to learn Chinese! I am not going to quit this language (like I quit Spanish, French and Italian... and Sign Language, but that only counts as a "language" in Arizona's lazy public schools.). I am going to become fluent in Chinese!!! Usually I give up on things I'm not good at. I hate not being the best... if I don't think I can win, I won't even try. That's pretty pathetic! I'm turning over a new leaf.........

The first thing I noticed when I got home from China was how much space we have in America. Arizona is so wide and open and there are so few people! (For example, The only place that can simulate a Chinese shopping mall is ASU's Memorial Union at noon. Yikes!) Everything here is new, clean and calm. Boring.

I feel guilty about finding America so boring. It can't be as boring as I perceive it, right? I think all new things are fascinating, exciting and interesting... I want to see my home the same way I see China. I get bored of the same-old so quickly that I don't pay attention to what's going on around me. I wish I could see Arizona with the eyes of a foreigner.  

AHHHHHHH. My computer is broken.  I don't know what's wrong with it. I hope that we can fix it because otherwise I've lost all my pictures, music and everything I've written! I'm on Jordan's computer right now. It's about 80 years old and it works better than mine!

I think I got a job at Starbucks. I'm apprehensive. The last thing I want to do is stand between yuppies and their coffee. I'll be good at it, right? I mean, there are few things in the world I love as much as coffee.

I sort of wish I was going to law school. I had the applications all ready, I just never sent them. I could have gotten into the places I was applying to.... I just didn't feel like I wanted to go to law school. But now I'm wondering if maybe it would have been better than being an undergrad again. Too late now....

ummmm... okay?

US Congresswoman Katherine Harris, R-Florida, holds up a possum she purchased at the Wausau Possum Festival, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006, in Wausau, Fla. Harris is a candidate for the U. S. Senate.

I only have two questions:
1) What on earth does she want to do with that poor possum? and
2) Does she really think this is going to help her get elected to the Senate?

Actually, I take it back. I have another question. Is that thing alive???? Hyperventilate!!

Currently Reading Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science By Atul Gawande see related

Only in China...

Yesterday I went grocery shopping. I was thrilled to see granola bars or at least what appeared to be granola bars! They resembled a chocolate chip granola bar in every plausible way: they were rectangular, crunchy and had small brown chippy things. Regrettably they turned out not to be chocolate chip. Instead, some Chinese genius had the brilliant idea of manufacturing salmon flavored granola bars! Hyperventilate! I love salmon, but not in my granola, thanks! Meanwhile, on the next shelf was the popcorn display. Popcorn in China comes in many more flavors than in the US: chocolate, banana, strawberry and "sweet." (Among many other flavors. The popcorn display is quite awe-inspiring!)

I can't believe I'm living in a country that has salmon granola bars and banana popcorn! What is wrong with Chinese palates? They take a yummy concept and they manage to totally screw it up.  Popcorn=good, Chocolate=great, Chocolate Popcorn=bad!  Although, I must admit some of their foods are very tasty. I just finished eating kiwi-cucumber yogurt.  Not a combo I would have ever dreamed up but it's actually quite good. I think it's my new favorite! And they have these giant shrimp flavored chips. The first time I tried them I was utterly repulsed, but now they've grown on me. Who knows, maybe I'll end up loving strawberry popcorn if I just give it a chance!

If nothing else, I'm impressed with the Chinese peoples' remarkable creativity in matter of cuisine.  Here's a famous saying that is oh-so true:

"The Cantonese will eat everything with wings except an airplane, everything with legs except a table, and everything that crawls except a baby!"

Currently Reading Heart of a Dog By Mikhail Afanasevich Bulgakov see related

This needs no words!

Hezbollah

This is a very good article on Hezbollah from 2002. It's very, very long but it's worth the read! 

In the Party of God: Are Terrorists in Lebanon Preparing for a Larger War?

The whole situation seems so hopeless. I have to go be depressed now...