We celebrated on Friday, and D was pretty psyched he got pirate Lego chess. It's pirates vs. sailors (they look vaguely British) and the pirate queen has an eye patch. We played once. I beat him--not pretty.
What, am I supposed to let him win just because it's his birthday?
Hmm...that sounds more reasonable now that I've thought about it. Oh well, maybe by his next b-day he can beat me straight up.
Anyhoo, pics to come soon. I left them at home today.
In the meantime...check out how famous I am
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
A Shanghai custom: Pajamas in public
CULTURE!
Good luck getting people to change their behavior for no good reason. Just because Expo started, I bet lots of locals keep wearing their jammies to go outside. Great op-ed piece here on the topic.
FUN!
D's birthday is this week. The big 0-0-7. Keepin' it mellow at home, then a big sleepover next weekend w/friends.
LEARNING!
E is learning to read and write a little. Both are expressing interest in biking sans training wheels. About time, I say, but no pressure. We've got all summer to bike around P-Town.
BEST OF 2009-2010 FILM-TROSPECTIVE!
Over the next few days, I'll be uploading videos from this year to youtube. I'll post again when the first batch is ready.
And can someone please tell my Cardinals to start scoring some runs? Sheesh.
Good luck getting people to change their behavior for no good reason. Just because Expo started, I bet lots of locals keep wearing their jammies to go outside. Great op-ed piece here on the topic.
FUN!
D's birthday is this week. The big 0-0-7. Keepin' it mellow at home, then a big sleepover next weekend w/friends.
LEARNING!
E is learning to read and write a little. Both are expressing interest in biking sans training wheels. About time, I say, but no pressure. We've got all summer to bike around P-Town.
BEST OF 2009-2010 FILM-TROSPECTIVE!
Over the next few days, I'll be uploading videos from this year to youtube. I'll post again when the first batch is ready.
And can someone please tell my Cardinals to start scoring some runs? Sheesh.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
spring has sprung
We have beautiful days and nights here in shanghai as we wrap up year #2 at SAS. 5 day weekend was super chill. Expo has started and sounds neat. We might go with Janet and Steve when they get here soon. We just found out which apartment we will move to next year, at the Shanghai Racquet Club. Yes, we will live in a racquet club. Fear not--I plan to maintain my "shtreet" edge and will never forget my working class roots. Speaking of which, went bowling the other day for Keller's birthday. Xi Jiao State Guest House (place we did D's birthday last year) has some nice lanes, but I was disappointed with the parenting that day. Kids were bowling out of turn. Kids were running all the way down the lane toward the pins. Kids were "helping" the bowling balls by sitting in the gutter and reaching into the lane toward a rolling ball and giving it a shove. Miraculously, no injuries were reported.
My point here is how strongly I felt myself reacting. As a teen, I took bowling lessons one summer, to beat the heat in AZ, and part of what I learned was etiquette. Let's just say I was the only one following proper etiquette that day. YOU DON'T DISRESPECT THE GAME, PEOPLE! It's just like when A-Rod ran across the pitcher's mound a couple weeks back. You don't touch someone else's bowling ball! (Even when the bumpers are up and the kid who bowled it already ran back to grab another ball to chuck). Of all the places to experience "China rage," as our headhunter Michael Williams called it, a bowling alley was the last one I expected.
Phew. Thanks for letting me vent. What else is going on? Here's a photo of "the gap," to go with a recent post. It is now twice as big--I trust y'all can use your imagination.
And here is another from E's visitation to SAS. He is very excited to be a Pre-K'er.
Sorry for the lag between posts. I have been crazy busy--baseball spring conditioning, some tutoring, lots of wiffle ball in the street, some hoops for me to stay in shape (shot 3 for 3 and played tough D last night, we won 3 of the 4 games I played in).
I head to Vietnam in less than a month with Steve-O. Should be a good trip. Then on my way home, I have a 12 hour layover in Seoul (long story). Some colleagues here used to work there, so I have a nice little mini-visit planned. Will check out the Korean War Memorial.
Then it's Las Vegas to reunite with the other 3 and spend a couple days with Erica. Then, June 25, Portland baybay. Burritos, biking, borrowing books and DVDs from the library, beer, baseball (do the Portland Beavers still exist?)...I can't think of any more B things.
Time to grade some Africa maps. How many countries and rivers could you label? Several of my students can label 48 countries (we skipped some tiny ones, no offense) and 8 bodies of water. Are you smarter than a 10th grader?
My point here is how strongly I felt myself reacting. As a teen, I took bowling lessons one summer, to beat the heat in AZ, and part of what I learned was etiquette. Let's just say I was the only one following proper etiquette that day. YOU DON'T DISRESPECT THE GAME, PEOPLE! It's just like when A-Rod ran across the pitcher's mound a couple weeks back. You don't touch someone else's bowling ball! (Even when the bumpers are up and the kid who bowled it already ran back to grab another ball to chuck). Of all the places to experience "China rage," as our headhunter Michael Williams called it, a bowling alley was the last one I expected.
Phew. Thanks for letting me vent. What else is going on? Here's a photo of "the gap," to go with a recent post. It is now twice as big--I trust y'all can use your imagination.
And here is another from E's visitation to SAS. He is very excited to be a Pre-K'er.
Sorry for the lag between posts. I have been crazy busy--baseball spring conditioning, some tutoring, lots of wiffle ball in the street, some hoops for me to stay in shape (shot 3 for 3 and played tough D last night, we won 3 of the 4 games I played in).
I head to Vietnam in less than a month with Steve-O. Should be a good trip. Then on my way home, I have a 12 hour layover in Seoul (long story). Some colleagues here used to work there, so I have a nice little mini-visit planned. Will check out the Korean War Memorial.
Then it's Las Vegas to reunite with the other 3 and spend a couple days with Erica. Then, June 25, Portland baybay. Burritos, biking, borrowing books and DVDs from the library, beer, baseball (do the Portland Beavers still exist?)...I can't think of any more B things.
Time to grade some Africa maps. How many countries and rivers could you label? Several of my students can label 48 countries (we skipped some tiny ones, no offense) and 8 bodies of water. Are you smarter than a 10th grader?
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tooth update: The swallowing of tooth #2
So we're eating waffles on Sunday morning, and Desi starts getting a sad look. We ask why. He says, through half a bite of waffles, "I think I swallowed my tooth."
Indeed he had. His fear, of course, was that now he wouldn't get any money for it. No evidence, no reward. We assured him the TFairy would accept a handwritten note in lieu of a nasty old tooth. Sure enough, she did. So all is well.
No other loose teeth to report.
Gotta go tutor now, but wanted to post this bit of Shanghai news. Perfectly captures the place these days.
Beautiful weather. 5 day weekend coming up. That means lots of wiffle ball. Life is grand.
Indeed he had. His fear, of course, was that now he wouldn't get any money for it. No evidence, no reward. We assured him the TFairy would accept a handwritten note in lieu of a nasty old tooth. Sure enough, she did. So all is well.
No other loose teeth to report.
Gotta go tutor now, but wanted to post this bit of Shanghai news. Perfectly captures the place these days.
Beautiful weather. 5 day weekend coming up. That means lots of wiffle ball. Life is grand.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Power Down! ... and READ! Week
This week, the elementary school asks kids to not watch TV or movies, not play video games, and not use the computer. Instead, they are to read a lot more than usual. Well, at our house the TV is off during the school week anyway. But for Mom and Dad, who wanted to model good screen-free habits, it has been hard to stay off the computer at home. Clearly we have gotten used to lots of online time. But I am proud to say that I have gone without a baseball game or even so much as a box score since Sunday! I have no idea how the Cardinals did against whoever they played after the Mets series. I can't speak for Sarah, but I know I have not caught her online except for one time.
Now that the weather is nice, we've been outdoors more. Desi likes playing catch or watching the older neighbor kids skateboard. As do I.
Note: the youtube video of the lost tooth is now public. check it out here
Emmy had his SAS visitation day yesterday. Here is the big boy now, getting his mug shot taken:
Should be a fun weekend. Downtown for dumplings tomorrow, adults only. Then baseball on Sunday--coaching Desi and a bunch of other 6-7 year olds is hard work. I could never teach elementary school...
Pray for sun!
Now that the weather is nice, we've been outdoors more. Desi likes playing catch or watching the older neighbor kids skateboard. As do I.
Note: the youtube video of the lost tooth is now public. check it out here
Emmy had his SAS visitation day yesterday. Here is the big boy now, getting his mug shot taken:
Should be a fun weekend. Downtown for dumplings tomorrow, adults only. Then baseball on Sunday--coaching Desi and a bunch of other 6-7 year olds is hard work. I could never teach elementary school...
Pray for sun!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
It's like pulling teeth!
No, wait, he DID pull teeth! Well, one tooth, anyway. Yes, folks, our baby ain't no baby no more. Right after tee ball yesterday, D was wiggling a tooth that's been loose for days. All of a sudden it just came out. He was excited, needless to say. Tooth fairy gave him 10 kuai, which is about $1.50 (hey, we have a high cost of living here). See video here. Another tooth is soon to come out and with another 10 kuai, D will have enough for a Hot Wheels. More on this story as it develops.
Tee ball was fun, in no small part because the weather was perfect. Spring is finally here, as of Friday, when it was almost 80 degrees. This week should be great, no highs below 65. It's perfect timing, as baseball spring warmups start tomorrow. I'll be working with the JV kids, including some 8th graders who will be eligible to play JV next season. Let's hope at least one of them can pitch, as I suspect we'll be losing most of our pitchers to the varsity squad in the fall.
In non-baseball news, Sarah and I had a fun dinner with two work friends on Saturday night (Jason and Timber, for those of you who know them). It's nice to go downtown, especially now that so many highway projects are finished. Traffic is already way better than even 3 months ago. Expo starts in 2 weeks, and the city declared a 5-day weekend in its honor. We'll be sticking around town, laying low. We'll see Expo with my mom and Steve when they come in June. Then Steve and I are off to Vietnam for 10 days, which is exciting.
In other travel news, I will be taking Emmett to Chicago and St. Louis this summer. See my family, have some fun. Should be fun to travel just the 2 of us (knock on wood). If you are around the Windy City July 17-18, I'll be at the Pitchfork Music Festival watching Pavement, my favorite all time band, on their reunion tour that I thought would never happen.
Gotta go. Before I forget, new Cary Brothers record is out. Check it out here.
Tee ball was fun, in no small part because the weather was perfect. Spring is finally here, as of Friday, when it was almost 80 degrees. This week should be great, no highs below 65. It's perfect timing, as baseball spring warmups start tomorrow. I'll be working with the JV kids, including some 8th graders who will be eligible to play JV next season. Let's hope at least one of them can pitch, as I suspect we'll be losing most of our pitchers to the varsity squad in the fall.
In non-baseball news, Sarah and I had a fun dinner with two work friends on Saturday night (Jason and Timber, for those of you who know them). It's nice to go downtown, especially now that so many highway projects are finished. Traffic is already way better than even 3 months ago. Expo starts in 2 weeks, and the city declared a 5-day weekend in its honor. We'll be sticking around town, laying low. We'll see Expo with my mom and Steve when they come in June. Then Steve and I are off to Vietnam for 10 days, which is exciting.
In other travel news, I will be taking Emmett to Chicago and St. Louis this summer. See my family, have some fun. Should be fun to travel just the 2 of us (knock on wood). If you are around the Windy City July 17-18, I'll be at the Pitchfork Music Festival watching Pavement, my favorite all time band, on their reunion tour that I thought would never happen.
Gotta go. Before I forget, new Cary Brothers record is out. Check it out here.
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