Random Thoughts About...

Dishwashing
I have had dishes piled up on my counter for 4 days how. Everyone, be impressed. I have this particular OCD behavior related to dishwashing. I’ve been working on that. My teammates are both impressed and disgusted (that I have to force myself not to wash dishes…) I am disturbed though, that the water in my kitchen sink is coming out warm. I don’t get warm water to my sink. I wonder where this water is coming from, as I stare out at the warm, murky waters of Stinky River.

Centipedes
Last night I saw a huge (well, at least 2 inches), black, furry centipede on my bathroom wall. Or is it a millipede? Who knows the difference. It had a ridiculous number of long legs. When I smashed it with a shoe it still tried to run away. It ended up splattered all over the floor. Gross. So gross. What if there’s more? I hear that some are poisonous. It would be so…meaningless to be killed by a centipede.

Chinese Language
We found out that we are going to have a final exam in our Chinese class. I think we would have freaked out if it hadn’t seemed so surreal. What happens if we fail? Will they kick us out of class. Either they will have ridiculously low standards (“Say thank you in Chinese”) or I will fail. I’m doomed.
In fact, I seemed to be entirely doomed when it comes to Chinese. I am bad at Chinese. So I think, I should study more Chinese. But there is this strange natural response to avoid things that you’re really bad at. I find myself avoiding studying Chinese at all costs. So I’m still bad at Chinese.

Crazy-Exploding Flower Torches
Last week was Logan’s first birthday, so he had two big parties to accommodate everyone who wanted to come. Our school Foreign Affairs Officials came to the second. They brought a Chinese cake and a special Chinese flower-candle. I guess it would be called a candle. Here’s how it works.
Light eight little candles around the outside petals.
Candles light big torch in middle.
Flower petals burst open and torch shoots up 6 inch flame.
Flower starts squealing Happy Birthday.
Flower starts melting and drops burning pieces onto cake.
Candles are quickly blown out.
Flower is disassembled to stop incessant squealing of “Happy Birthday.”
You want to know what modern Chinese culture values? Crazy-exploding flower-torch has the answer. The louder, pinker (did I mention it was pink?), tackier, shriller, more combustible an item is, the better.

Okay, off to study some Chinese. Really, I am. And those dishes I was talking about? Yeah, I already washed them. I couldn't help it. I'm so much happier now.