Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Irresistible

I just sit here and download all the pictures I took during lunch time. I am just glad that my crazy on-call week is finally behind me. I am so looking forward to the trip back to Atlanta later this week.

I just check Robert's blog with its beautiful background music. The ocean disappears at the end of the sky. The mother holds her little son. She might ponder what the future lies ahead for her son and the little boy could really want to touch the other end of the sky if it was not far away. It brings me back many years ago when I just came to this land. In my world, oceans are always connected, it brought great comfort when I missed what I left at the other end.

Spring just comes slowly this year. But the air becomes so irresistible. I can breath it so do my plants.










Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Chinglish

1. Mang Out After Shit (flush after number two)
2. Don't Hurt Me For Your Pretty (Very Chinese expression in the first place, Can not find English one)
3. Welcome to Presence (Welcome to visit)
4. Take Care Of Your Slip (Wet! or mind you steps)
5. No firemaking in hard core scenery ( fire cracking prohibited in the center of the scenic area)
6. Divided Chick ( Chick breast, leg ...)
7. Noticing Security (watch out of pocket lifter?)
8. Visit in civilization and pay attention to hygiene
9. This WC is free of washing Please leave off after pissing or shitting (auto flushing)
10. No Entry On peace time (Emergency Exit)
11. Have a dog (warming of a dog in the house)
12. The Sea Fucks Goods (dry seafood section)
13. May reclaim (Recycling)
14. Taking care to deep water, not to take water please (no swiming is allowed)
15. The American Anne space sinaked eye pick ( angus beef )
16. No More Steps (employee only)
17. After first under on, do riding with civility (Let passages get off before get on to the bus)
18. Lesser Panda (redder panada)
19. Campfire Dance Hall (Campfire dance ground)
20. No Whoopla (Please be quiet)
30. Comfort Station (Toilet)
31. Bei Jing Super municipal in wine in smoke (Beijing Wine and Tobacco super store)
32. Slip and fall down carefully (Watch your steps)
33. The former address of the emperor's toilet
34. Show mercy to the slender grass
35. Wash after relief
36. Salute to The Tourists who keep the public hygience.
37. If you are stolen, call the police at once.
38. The less footprint, the more green (very cute)
39. Medicine No Fakes.

Much funnier if you understand what the express is intended in Chinese. A German guy had a blog to ask to preserve Chinglish as a national treasure. I think that he is out of his freaky mind. But it is just hilarious.

This is his web sit. Am I creating American Chinglish?&^%

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Yard, Food and Dog











Happy Easter After All

It is still slight cold in the morning and evening. Nevertheless it is Spring time after all. Our backyard has been junkie looking since piles of cleanups wait to be hurled. Sammy went to Columbus to find a jacket for the GA Tech Architecture School Centennial Party on Friday. He bought a big piece of ham from the North Market.

After my chore in the yard on Saturday, I went to Grocery store while he started cooking this Easter Ham. As usual, he handed over his list to me - certain brand of unsalted butter, FAGE Total Honey Yogurt, Cod fish in two packages..... I had to check the item off when it is in my cart to avoid his bitching of missing ingredients. I am always amazed at how rigorously American follow a recipe as Bible is followed literally. While I was wondering between aisles, I run into our great friend Mary Dewey. She is this 80 plus year old artist with a incredible youthful soul. She asked how I think about David Sedaris's story telling in Athens. It happened last Tuesday night that Dewey folks sat the row right behind Sammy and me. We talked how much we loved his unpublished piece of Obama wave in Europe. I just knew yet another burst of laughter is about to send my way from Jamie(Mary's daughter in law) when David's punch line was on the way such as "Elect your own black president".

European never thought that we could ever elect a black to be president. Well I guess that there is a good reason. Mary said that I do not blame that David lives in Europe. Finally we had someone have a good brain in White House. But that is not enough when Texas education board opened a back door to allow intelligent design taught in public school as a science sort by not telling the time that scientists think the universe were formed. Yeah it could be hundred million years or maybe 6 or or 7 thousands by God sort of. Then Mary told me that when her daughter Robin went to the elementary school, the principal was so proud to tell her how "religulous" the school is. She could not believe her ears and told the principal that is illegal to do so. She went to the boss of the principal and complained. The practice stopped for good.

As Bill Maher joked about, we dumped a lot trash into the ocean as we are doing to the space. It estimated that the trash dumped into Pacific ocean is already twice the size of Texas. Just hard to imagine somewhere has more white trash than Texas for real.

At the end, Mary said to me happy Easter after all.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Food, House and Woods















It was another perfect Spring day. I got up at 9:00 and was about to put my work shoes on before was stopped. Well I tried to finish my garden work before going to have brunch in Bob and Laiyee's house at noon. But I had to sit down to have my breaky by "force". Still I managed to have a couple of hours to wrap up my work afterward.

We had very pleasant brunch - home-made spinach wonton. It is yummie. Laiyee really like to show us this house for sale near hers since she knows that it is in our alley. She is absolutely right. It is a rustic mod built by a couple of a sculpture artist and a professor a while long ago. We just can smell the originality of 60's. We almost love every bit of it. We would not hesitate a second to make an offer if it went to the market when we looked for a house. The view is awesome right on the top of the ridge. Thing can be so attractive when it is understated. It is the beauty of authentic modern.

It is perfect day to have a convertible ride. We went back to the house and had a raspberry pie before going to Bob and Laiyee's back yard which is 17 acre of woods. We always find something new or surprise there. Today is no exception and we found three morrel mushroom. We made a delicious soup tonight. Incredible cliff and beautifully created Japanese Moss garden by the nature.

Yeah it is simply pleasant afternoon - food, friends, authentic modernism and the nature. It makes Monday even harder for us.