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changeofpace83
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Name: Xiao
Gender: Male
Interests: Tons of useless things
Expertise: All that are meaningless
Occupation: Engineering
Industry: Computers (Software)
Message: message me
Member Since:
9/3/2004
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| HI-ATUS
Wow... Has it been almost three months already since updating this thing? I guess I've been too busy these days with my new job. Working at AVAYA is pretty kewl though, despite averaging like 50 hours a week. I mean... working for a large company is one thing, but working for one that has its company logo posted all over F I F A?  That's too awesome. If you guys have ever seen The Whole Ten Yards, or Superman, our phones are in those movies too. They're the grayish futuristic looking phones with the large red AVAYA sticker on there. Ah yes, Hollywood fame mixed in there.
I'll be getting baptized this weekend, and I'm quite nervous. I've seen countless people do it, but it just isn't the same when you have to go up and give your testimony before getting dunked in a hot tub. I hope I won't make a fool out of myself standing in front of the church goers while I read off my page. It would not be nice if someone threw something that would stain my white robe  ... (hint hint). Just kidding.
In any case, I've been a slacker at my digital paintings. I was so hopeful too before starting the job that I would have a really active lifestyle. Working out, reading, learning chinese, sketching, photography, digital photoshoping, tai chi, and jogging... I haven't been able to do any of those -__- Aiya, I guess I will need to sort out priorities one of these days... I'm not quite sure if anyone else updates this any more but hehe, hope everything is going well 
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| Germany lost... It was a valiant effort, and an extremely good game.. But in the end, the Italians got the upper hand. I suppose this is what sports is about... *Sigh. Valiant effort it was.
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| After three weeks of cultural endeavors, I'm finally back at home. China has been a real eye opener. I really didn't expect to see the things I did, and I am definitely thankful for the oppurtunity to do so. Beijing has changed a lot since the last time I visited, but it still needs a lot of work. The city is big, and there are buildings everywhere. However, the place is still crowded, a mess, and kind of dirty. Driving on the streets is a matter of playing bumper cars. Those that drive like they do back in the states won't get anywhere! The people are kind of rude too... Everyone pushes each other around on the streets, and rarely anyone says "excuse me." The city does have a lot of good traits too. It's very rich with tradition, culture, and FOOD. There is soooooooo much food here it's insane. I think I only experienced 1/10000000 of what they had to offer. Oh well, maybe next time 
Upon arriving there, I thought I was only going to stay in Beijing. But somehow, plans changed and I got to see some other places too. Nanjing, Wu Xi, Su Zhou, Hang Zhou, and Shanghai were really neat experiences. Each place had its own special traits, and I definitely won't forget the trips there. I thought Shanghai was really cool. It's a modern city, and is extremely Americanized. I went on the Jinmao tower, and saw Shanghai at night too. It's something I think everyone should experience.
I also kept a list of interesting things I experienced in Beijing:
- Crest, Oil of Olay, and Tide commercials
- Naruto is pretty popular
- Global warning isn't a concern, but taught as a suggestion
- Spice girls impersonation show
 - Mandarin subtitles on 95% of shows
- Cartoonish commercials that help you deal with getting hooked up, and also BREAKING up
- Ricky Martin is still popular
- SHE commercial featuring Dalphin products
- American idol-ish show with two performers that looked like Zhang Ziyi and Selena from SHE
- Instead of cheerleading competitions, they have Dragon / Lion dance competitions
- Pampers is now a leading diaper product
- Everyone Loves Raymond is played every night
- Nestea apparently is huge
- Full House (Korean Drama) intro music for some of the TV shows
- Jay Chou's music is used in a lot of TV shows
- Pan Wei Bo's "Bu De Bu Ai" at the Asian Super Model contest. The song was sang in mixed fashion, with the girl using Chinese, and the guy using Korean
- Lin Jun Jie's songs were used in some of the commercials
- They were selling breast enchancement suction cups. The thing is that they had this "graphic" model of the cups pumping the breast on public TV
 - SHE and Jay Chou are much more popular in southern China. In Beijing, they're rarely mentioned aside from using their BG songs in commercials
- Jay Chou actually has a clothing brand called Meters Bonwe
- Saw "Tian Xia Wu Ze" on the bus getting out of Su Zhou
- Average height of guys is now a LOT taller than before. I think around 5'11
- The guys love longer hair. Spikey is rarely seen
- Girls love to dress up. Very different from the casual jean/shirt seen here in the US
- More Hyundai and Audi cars there than Hondas and Toyotas over here
- BMWs are VERY rare
- Driving system is now like the US. Everyone gets 12 points
- People are afraid to sell fake products, clothes, and CDs. So the average price of products are a lot higher
- Parkson shopping malls are everywhere
- Blue sky in Beijing is a rarity. It's mostly gray
- News and TV shows never broadcast anything that hints the idea of free speech and freedom. They always play things like TV Dramas, news, sports, and cooking
- A lot of sites are still blocked... Couldn't even check my Mines email
- FIFA world cup 2006 is so popular, commercials and radio stations advise people on how to stay fit and avoid injuries sitting on the couch for too long
- Westerners that have NO accent speaking chinese. I guess I'm just not used to hearing it
- Highschool exams are way overrated. Any student about to take the exams have free admission to 4 star hotels, so they can quietly prepare. The parents can take off work on the days of the exams, and all Taxi drivers MUST stop to pick up the students upon their request
- Pizza Hut is huge
- TV shows that teach Calculus, English, Algebra, and any other academics that's imaginable
- Gas prices are $5 RMB per km. That's an insane price for the average citizen
- Buying a car costs double compared to here. A $30,000 USD Mazda 6 sold here is $400,000+ RMB over there. Tax is 70-80%
- EVERYONE has a cell phone
- Every grocery product you buy is wrapped so it can be quickly scanned
- The free tea that restaurants give out have the lowest quality, and are carcinogenic
- Theres 5 collectable figures you can buy that represents the official olympics mascots. I thought they were dolls for girls at first
- Taxis are EVERYWHERE, and are 90% Hyundai
- People park on sidewalks
 - If you think cars yield to pedestrians, you're as good as dead
- Wang Guang Liang's "Tong Hua" is played a lot on radios
- People constantly drink and smoke
 - Bargaining things down to a reasonable price is still art and science
- There are very few SUVs on the streets
- Most people eat food with a hot bowl of soup
- Waiters and building attendants are 90% girls
- Everyone seems to play basketball
- When driving, you HAVE to honk at least 10 times in 1 km or you'll get hit
- Buses cut off cars frequently
- People rarely stop for cop cars
- NBA playoffs were broadcasted at night
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| Greetings.. from SHANGHAI!! hehe... Before coming back to China, I never imagined I would be HERE for a few days. And now that I'm here, I think I'm in love with this place. It's so gorgeous at night, especially in the center of the city. All the buildings look so modern, and the lights are just astounding. Compared with Denver, this place is about ten times as big, and fifty times more modern. I think it's even better than LA, Miami, or New York City. Trying to describe it in words will only hurt, if not defile its brilliance. The only way to appreciate Shanghai is to personally go there and experience it for yourself. I did make an oath that I would come back one day, and really have some fun... Tours do no justice. But yeah, I think I would definitely live here if I was given the chance to. 
Oh... and Han Zhou is only about 2 hours away by train. It has one of the best lake / parks in the world. It's called Xi Hu (West Lake), and it's a giant lake surrounded by an almost surreal garden. Everything is so refreshing. Walking there could relieve stress instantly... AND it makes the perfect honeymoon resort | | |
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