Monday, March 26, 2007

Welcome to the zoo

Lucky Jade

I got a " turtle girlfriend" for Jacin...except he doesn't seem to like her. She is a baby, a hatchling, and is SO brave and so cute! But Jacin is doing the weird hand waving thing to her all the time...she remains nameless until I figure out if she's really a "SHE" or not...
Jacin and Lucky Jade
(My Children)


I got two new bettas: a red one (Siren) and a blue one (Poseidon). Haha. And one fish that was supposed to be Jacin's food...but he's still alive.

**UPDATE: The fish have all passed away now! :( I have a new red betta, an orange chromide and two fish that were supposed to be turtle food!**

That's all for now.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Great firewall of China...

Blogger is officially blocked off for me...! :(

I will begin writing new entries at this site: aschoom.diaryland.com
(my old blog)

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2006/tc20060112_434051.htm?campaign_id=rss_tech

=====================

Something Is Broken > Recently my friends in China Can't access my bLogger

One week ago, my friends in China can have access to my blogger page
http://xianchen.blogspot.com/ .But from this week, they can not access
it. However, I can access it successfully.I do not know what is wrong
with it.is it blocked again or some internet service has gone wrong?
Thanks!

It is more than likely government intervention on China's part. Have
them try a proxy server.

Proxy servers:
http://howcanidothat.blogspot.com/2007/01/proxy-servers.html

http://howcanidothat.blogspot.com/ - How Can I Do That
http://bonniescalhoun.blogspot.com - Bonnie Writes


it's probably a China governmental problem.
http://www.pkblogs.com/bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com/2007/01/blog...

Your friends will have to use a proxy server.
http://www.pkblogs.com/bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com/2006/07/help...
http://bloggerstatusforreal.wordpress.com/2006/07/15/help-i-cant-see-...


Other threads discussing the problem:
http://groups.google.com/group/blogger-help/search?q=bX-*00018&start=...


If it is a China "Firewall" problem, don't look to Blogger to solve
it. Google is cooperating with the Chinese government, and this may
include "respecting cultural differences". You'd best find a
workaround, using a proxy server (hopefully that will work).
http://w1.hidemyass.com/index.php?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.greatfirewallofc...


Chuck [Blog*Star 2006] bX-*00018
Real Blogger Status Classic: http://bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com/
Real Blogger Status New: http://bloggerstatusforrealbeta.blogspot.com/




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Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Argh!

Can it be that Google Blogger is blocked off in China?!?!?! I can write and post new journal entries...but I can't VIEW my current blog!!! Whats up with that?!?!

If any of you are in China, please let me know whether or not you can view this or not!

Thanks!! :)

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Interesting Short Films/Animations on the Internet

(Yes, I do more than go to random film sites and youtube suring my spare time! I watch DVDs and TV series too!)

Spook-a twisted fairytale (Tim Burtonesque)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSC7DvCPVfA&mode=related&search=

Stalk- a twisted fairytale about a bunny and her mysterious admirer
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/A9631361

When knitting becomes an obsession-see how knitting literally takes over her life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ZjMWLqJvM

Doll Face
http://www.thedailyreel.com/videos/doll-face

Doll Face follows a machine's struggle to construct its own identity.
The machine with a doll face mimics images presented on a television
screen and ultimately self-destructs from its inability to adopt a
satisfactory visage. Created in its entirety by Andy Huang, Doll Face
presents a visual account of desires misplaced and identities
fractured by our technological extension into the future.

Cool film sites:
Ticklebooth-what's playing online
http://ticklebooth.com/category/genres/drama/internal-conflict/page/2/

BBC-film network
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/C54725

The Daily Reel
http://www.thedailyreel.com/videos/

Just to sum up the weekend...

Friday night's Oral English class went pretty well. I just wish it
wasn't Friday night. I will start playing movies on Friday nights
instead. I'm looking for a tutor job so I can rebuy another camera...

I remembered St. Patty's Day...I even told my students about it!
Hehe. And then, of course, I forgot to wear green...but remembered
just in time to go to dinner and changed....On Saturday, Matthew (the
other American foreign teacher), Jerry and I went to Carrefour (some
French supermarket) and bought a toaster oven!!!! Then we preceeded to
have dinner with Matthew's friend, Stephen. He's a job recruiter for ESL teachers in China. Anyways, he wanted to meet us and see where we wanted to be placed,
etc.

Sunday, Jerry and I went to Walmart, Wangfujing--a rather upscale
shopping area (specifically to go to the two bookstores...one is for
Chinese people and one is the foreign language one...and all are at
least 4 stories!!). I got some classics as they were cheaper in price,
Alice in Wonderland, Persuasion and poems of Emiliy Dickinson. I
couldn't remember Anne Perry at the time--but will find next time.
Prices are considered exorbitant for Beijing standards...but not any
more than what it would cost in the states.Then went to the Kerry
Center (its within the Chinese business district center--CBD) and got
some tequila (95 yuan for a bottle!), salsa and vanilla extract! They had some other American breakfast goodies like Florida Made orange juice and Sunny Select
frozen waffles...but I wonder how long they had been on thes
shelf....and the prices were outrageous! $8 for orange juice and $5
for Sunny Select frozen waffles? I wish I could find the rest of the
ingredients to pancakes...know how to make french toast now..finally!

the fondue heart kit that Amy gave me...I think I used too
many candles and it cracked! :( But oh so good...were the bananas and
strawberries dipped in chocolate! I guess I could just melt the
chocolate with the toaster oven and put the chips in there...defeats
the purpose though...and hope the sauce doesn't leak through.. :(

And the highlight of the weekend...we had Mexican night with out new
toaster (Matthew and I split the cost--669 yuan/2) oven! Matthew's
aunt recently came to China and delivered some cheese, tortillas,
enchilada sauces and other goodies to Matthew! So he made chicken
enchiladas and I made chicken tacos! Refried beans, taco rice, salsa,
tomatoes, onions, lettuce...and blended raspberry margaritas!! It was
fun...not sure if Jerry or Lin (Matthew's wife) were accustomed to it though...Hehe. Especially the cheese...


There's good to everything...if not just a learning experience.
Buddha says that our attitudes are like the filters that we put on the perspective lenses of our lives. The question is...how do we change these filters?

Jacin the turtle came back yesterday...he seems bigger...

OH, the school gave us a new bedframe, headboard and this pseudo
mattress that is as hard as a table! I haven't slept well since and
spent a lot of money trying to get extra padding...but it doesn't help
much... :( I even slept on the couch a few times. We got a new
computer desk though! :) I use the old student desks they gave us
before to use as desks for my jewelry table!

I got "Sex and the City" and wonder if it would work for Christina...I
have started to watch it in order...hehe...Carrie just met Mr. Big...!
:)

Monday, March 12, 2007

Sand And Stone

The story goes that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.


The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: "Today my best friend slapped me in the face."

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "Today my best friend saved my life."

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now you write on a stone. Why?"

The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but an entire life to forget them.

Send this phrase to the people you'll never forget. It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.

Take the time to live.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Jet Lag sucks...

My apartment needs cleaning, I'm outta money (until my next payday) and I'm darned so sleepy and outta whack! I can't seem to get adjusted! :( I wake up everyday at 4 in the morning! So irritating!

I have two different oral English Subject classes and one Business Communication class. The Oral English class for English majors has 4 different class groups of students, the Oral English for non-majors has two different classes and the Business Communication class just has one group of students.

Anyways, I've just been sleeping...and groggy...

Oh, I really like the movie "The Prestige." :) It makes you think twice about our perspectives and approach to things in our lives...

For example, a camera...and an ipod...a cell phone with lost numbers....

*SIGH*

I HAD pictures to update but as you all know, that's impossible to do so now...so I'll make lists of my vacation in Sacramento instead...

Monterey/Big Sur:
-Went hiking at the Pfeiffer State Park and saw Pfeiffer Falls in Big Sur...
-Rained a lot
-Had way too many Starbucks
-Ate dinner at Bullwhackers (Hardy, har, har...Pirate-y, Mate!)
-Went shopping at Cannery Row
-Enjoyed our room at Ramada Inn (it had a fridge, microwave and breakfast!) and was able to watch a few DVDs

Restaurants that I ate at:
-Red Lobster
-Leatherby's
-Cheesecake Factory
-Samurai Sushi (NO, not the gross one in San Diego!)
-Teacup (Home of the $3.88 Chinese Menu!)

Foods that I ate:
-Pizza
-Chicken strips and fries
-Carl's Jr's, Jack in the Box, Burger King, Jimboys, Wendy's
-Lasagna
-Chinese food cooked by Mom :)

TV shows that I watched:
-American Idol
-Law and Order
-Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader? (Its amazing how dumb people get when they leave school and begin working!)

Things I did:
-Cleaned my crap in the garage (My mom and stepdad moved to Rancho Cordova in December..and my grandma lives there now as well)
-Bought a lot of necessities and souvenirs
-ATE
-Slept
-Took pictures of various family outings (like playing Mahjong at a picnic table in a park!)

OK, that's my nostalgic memories of my month back home...in place of photos!

*SOBS*

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Back in China now

I went to Monterey for my birthday and then spent the last few days in USA running errands and spending time with family and friends. I also went to Cheesecake Factory and Leatherby's.

Its snowing in Beijing...and I am sad...because I lost my camera bag at the Beijing Airport and in it was my digital camera, my IPOD nano and battery recharger!! I am so sad...

That's all I'll write for now...

__________
This blog entry helped relieve my pain a little bit...
"If you have nothing to lose, you can only win"
http://www.miraesoft.com/karel/2007/01/15/if-you-have-nothing-to-lose-you-can-only-win/

It makes me wonder if sometimes the concept of loss is just psychologically based on what we place value on...like if I wasn't so obsessed with taking pictures to show my students in China...would I still have my camera? Would I even care? Why buy such an expensive camera in the first place?!