As many of you know, I am not terribly interested in politics. Quite the opposite actually... I find political discussions at best boring and at worst painful and divisive. I know it doesn't have to be this way, but maybe I've just sat through too many arguments over abortion or Iraq that just consisted of people waiting for their turn to speak and never coming even close to any sort of compromise or sharing of thoughts or really listening for that matter. Anyways, I didn't start this post to rip on political discussion (my Swat friends will have my head over this in any event), but instead to say that yesterday I sent in my absentee ballot! Despite my anti-political sentiments, I love voting. It's fun! Unfortunately, I've never had the normal voting experience because I've been abroad during the last two presidential elections. Absentee ballots for me!
- Jon
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Phillies Phever!
As many of you on the other side of the world already know, the Phillies have just beaten the Dodgers to win the National League pennant and will soon be playing in the World Series! This may not seem like a monumental event, but I assure you that for any Phillies fan anywhere this is a big deal. Philadelphia has been plagued by mediocre (or downright terrible) professional sports teams for the past two and half decades (i.e. my entire life). They haven't won a championship since 1983 (no Super Bowl, no World Series, no Stanley Cup, and no whatever they win in the NBA.) It's been a tough time to be a fan. Year after year Philadelphia sports teams will either perform terribly or play just well enough to almost make it. It's gotten to the point where its hard to be optimistic about anything Philly sports related.
This reminds me of the last time the Phillies were in the World Series. It was 1993 and I was 9 years old. I was an avid baseball card collector and loved playing the game. It was with great pleasure that I watched the Phillies take on the Toronto Blue Jays. In a thrilling 7-game series, the Phillies built up my hopes and dreams and then crushed them suddenly. I remember watching Joe Carter hit the walk-off home run in Game 7. It was then that my innocence as a sports fan died. I also burned all of Mitch Williams cards after that game. I still cringe when I hear his name. "Wild Thing" - please...
Anyways, I wish I were back in the States and could revel in the Phillies' glory. I wish I could watch the games on TV. I wish I could tease Rob about the Mets collapsing again. But alas, no. It is almost impossible to watch a live game out here (due to time difference and work). There is no joy in Mudville :(
- Jon
This reminds me of the last time the Phillies were in the World Series. It was 1993 and I was 9 years old. I was an avid baseball card collector and loved playing the game. It was with great pleasure that I watched the Phillies take on the Toronto Blue Jays. In a thrilling 7-game series, the Phillies built up my hopes and dreams and then crushed them suddenly. I remember watching Joe Carter hit the walk-off home run in Game 7. It was then that my innocence as a sports fan died. I also burned all of Mitch Williams cards after that game. I still cringe when I hear his name. "Wild Thing" - please...
Anyways, I wish I were back in the States and could revel in the Phillies' glory. I wish I could watch the games on TV. I wish I could tease Rob about the Mets collapsing again. But alas, no. It is almost impossible to watch a live game out here (due to time difference and work). There is no joy in Mudville :(
- Jon
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Holy Huangshan, Batman!
So I’m back from a little hiatus of blog-writing….I’m sorry if you felt in the least bit neglected by me. Deeply and truly sorry…….Ok, moving on…
After a somewhat rough night of sleep – honking of car horns is the Chinese version of 24/7 ambience…the kind that beats on your head as if it’s a gong – we sprung up ready to climb Huangshan. We all decided to climb the Western steps because it was more challenging and thus, in our minds, more fun. Also, most people climb up the Eastern steps, so we thought we’d avoid the crowds. Now, let me clarify. We went during the National Holiday, which means that nearly all Chinese folk travel. And where do they all go? Yup. Huangshan. So even when we “avoided” the crowds, we were still quite flooded. It’s all relative, I guess.
The hoards of Chinese tourists
Anyway, the whole way up is steps. One after the other. 15.5 km of concrete steps. After about 1 hour of climbing, I was starting to feel tired, full aware of the 5 hours of climbing that lay ahead of us….taunting me…mocking me. I could feel the muscles in my thighs and hips and butt start to scream and wail at me: “Who do you think you are making me contract like this repeatedly without a break? Without stretching? I was built for yoga and Frisbee, that’s it!!!” And my response? At first: “Please please, try to adjust. Help me out a bit.” But after continued pain, near cramping, and growing tension, the response turned to: “Listen hear, you. You WILL make it up. You don’t have a f*#^ing choice here. I’m gonna get to the top and you’re coming with me!”
Porters carrying a snoozing lady who just straight-up opted out of the whole hiking thing
Unnecessarily long story short, I made it to the top. The hike up was absolutely gorgeous. My breath was repeatedly stripped from my mouth as I stood in awe of the natural beauty around me—the contrast of the height of the mountains with depth of the valleys, the picturesque scene of distant peaks fading into subtler shades of blue, the meeting of jagged and smooth rocks, the staggering of green, the intertwining and interweaving of multi-layered clouds and fog surrounding you, the sun shining brightly and providing a warm and sweet blanket through the cool breeze. An experience truly never to be forgotten.
An array of "lovers' lockets" (ours is now one among the many)
A view of the mountain that lay ahead of us
We woke up the next day with, yet again, hundreds of Chinese tourists all around for the sunrise. E
very time a new iota of light made its way to some fool’s eyes, I heard an “Uh! Oh! Whoa!”…as if the sun’s rising was a completely new concept. Hysterical.
Later (after a short nap), we hiked around the Western Trail, which was an absolutely stunning panorama of what felt like a personal getaway that very few people knew about. It was particularly nice that all the tourists didn’t crowd
that area because a major aspect of my enjoyment was how sparse the people were among the enormity of the mountains and of the vertical drops from the overhanging paths that we walked on. (holy moly was I terrified!).
And finally, I made it down the 7 km down the Eastern steps, tactfully chosen because most people climb up that route and not down.
Ryan, Jon, & Emma
Unfortunately, I paid the price for that climb. Since my muscles were pissed off at me and tight as all hell, it planted the seed for a tweak in my back and hips that would actualize itself at Ultimate Frisbee League a few days later. I pivoted weirdly a few times, and then, well, I just couldn’t move. Sharp pains shot all throughout my back, hips, and legs and I pretty much wanted to die. Thankfully, the wanting-of-death feeling didn’t transfer to the next day; at least I could walk. Now, a week later, my hip still hurts – I can’t even put on my shoes without wincing in aching pain. But I feel significantly better. I went to see a spectacular acupuncturist yesterday (who only costs about $10 for an hour session) who I think will help me to improve greatly. My goal is to be ready to play at the Hong Kong tournament on the October 25-26, which I think is definitely manageable at the rate I’m going (I’m taking it super easy…even missing League tonight!).
Wish me luck!
Em
As Jon mentioned, we went to Huangshan (“Yellow Mountain’) with our friend and travel companion Ryan a couple of weeks ago. After an 8-hour bus ride and another 1-hour van ride, we arrived in Tangkou, the town at the base of Huangshan. With the help of the powers that be, i.e. LonelyPlanet, we contacted Mr. Hu (Mr. Who??), who we soon found out spoke excellent English, was a great guide and resource for tips and information about the mountain, and…unfortunately….was the owner of a hostel and restaurant with down right terrible food. A Chinese man in China making terrible food?? I hadn’t known it to be possible…a first for everything.
A view of Huangshan from Tangkou
A view of Huangshan from TangkouAfter a somewhat rough night of sleep – honking of car horns is the Chinese version of 24/7 ambience…the kind that beats on your head as if it’s a gong – we sprung up ready to climb Huangshan. We all decided to climb the Western steps because it was more challenging and thus, in our minds, more fun. Also, most people climb up the Eastern steps, so we thought we’d avoid the crowds. Now, let me clarify. We went during the National Holiday, which means that nearly all Chinese folk travel. And where do they all go? Yup. Huangshan. So even when we “avoided” the crowds, we were still quite flooded. It’s all relative, I guess.
The hoards of Chinese touristsAnyway, the whole way up is steps. One after the other. 15.5 km of concrete steps. After about 1 hour of climbing, I was starting to feel tired, full aware of the 5 hours of climbing that lay ahead of us….taunting me…mocking me. I could feel the muscles in my thighs and hips and butt start to scream and wail at me: “Who do you think you are making me contract like this repeatedly without a break? Without stretching? I was built for yoga and Frisbee, that’s it!!!” And my response? At first: “Please please, try to adjust. Help me out a bit.” But after continued pain, near cramping, and growing tension, the response turned to: “Listen hear, you. You WILL make it up. You don’t have a f*#^ing choice here. I’m gonna get to the top and you’re coming with me!”
Porters carrying a snoozing lady who just straight-up opted out of the whole hiking thing(but I say go big or go home!)
Unnecessarily long story short, I made it to the top. The hike up was absolutely gorgeous. My breath was repeatedly stripped from my mouth as I stood in awe of the natural beauty around me—the contrast of the height of the mountains with depth of the valleys, the picturesque scene of distant peaks fading into subtler shades of blue, the meeting of jagged and smooth rocks, the staggering of green, the intertwining and interweaving of multi-layered clouds and fog surrounding you, the sun shining brightly and providing a warm and sweet blanket through the cool breeze. An experience truly never to be forgotten.
An array of "lovers' lockets" (ours is now one among the many)
A view of the mountain that lay ahead of usWe woke up the next day with, yet again, hundreds of Chinese tourists all around for the sunrise. E
very time a new iota of light made its way to some fool’s eyes, I heard an “Uh! Oh! Whoa!”…as if the sun’s rising was a completely new concept. Hysterical.Later (after a short nap), we hiked around the Western Trail, which was an absolutely stunning panorama of what felt like a personal getaway that very few people knew about. It was particularly nice that all the tourists didn’t crowd
that area because a major aspect of my enjoyment was how sparse the people were among the enormity of the mountains and of the vertical drops from the overhanging paths that we walked on. (holy moly was I terrified!).And finally, I made it down the 7 km down the Eastern steps, tactfully chosen because most people climb up that route and not down.
Ryan, Jon, & EmmaUnfortunately, I paid the price for that climb. Since my muscles were pissed off at me and tight as all hell, it planted the seed for a tweak in my back and hips that would actualize itself at Ultimate Frisbee League a few days later. I pivoted weirdly a few times, and then, well, I just couldn’t move. Sharp pains shot all throughout my back, hips, and legs and I pretty much wanted to die. Thankfully, the wanting-of-death feeling didn’t transfer to the next day; at least I could walk. Now, a week later, my hip still hurts – I can’t even put on my shoes without wincing in aching pain. But I feel significantly better. I went to see a spectacular acupuncturist yesterday (who only costs about $10 for an hour session) who I think will help me to improve greatly. My goal is to be ready to play at the Hong Kong tournament on the October 25-26, which I think is definitely manageable at the rate I’m going (I’m taking it super easy…even missing League tonight!).
Wish me luck!
Em
Sunday, October 12, 2008
"That's what she said..."
In honor of Michael (from The Office) I thought I'd share this little gem with you...
Makes me laugh...
- Jon
Makes me laugh...
- Jon
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Experiment
Ok, so I was checking out Tao's blog and admiring all of the beautiful YouTube videos that he has embedded in his posts. I want to learn how to do that, so this is my experiment... I figured that I might as well share with you something that I do when I am bored - I watch rugby highlight videos on YouTube. Here is one of my favorites:
- Jon
- Jon
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Oh no, oh no, oh no, OH YEAH!
We recently came up with a great name for our summer league team - The Great Bluedini. We named it after the Kool-Aid flavor:
This means that we get to do one of my favorite frisbee cheers! We all gather in a circle and 3 people yell "Oh no!!!" one after the other and then we all yell together "OH YEAH!!!" It always reminds me of the Kool Aid guy busting through the wall and it makes me happy. Here is a video of the inspiration for this cheer...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbaHoN3glwU&feature=related
- Jon
This means that we get to do one of my favorite frisbee cheers! We all gather in a circle and 3 people yell "Oh no!!!" one after the other and then we all yell together "OH YEAH!!!" It always reminds me of the Kool Aid guy busting through the wall and it makes me happy. Here is a video of the inspiration for this cheer...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
- Jon
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Sports Meeting Continued...
Emma and I are back from our week-long vacation, but I'm going to leave the tales of Huangshan for another post. Right now, I have to go back to last week's Suzhou Foreign Language School Sports Meeting. Basically, instead of working on Friday and Saturday everybody in the school goes outside for an enormous track and field meet. Things get kicked off by a fully absurd opening ceremony during which each grade marches out in some sort of costume, presents themself before the "distinguished persons" table, does some sort of routine (anything from illicit dance moves to kung fu and yes I have video...), and then marches off. It was spectacular - here you can see for yourself:
Here comes Grade 3
Rocking out...
No sports meet is complete without Power Ranger ninjas
Here comes Grade 3
Rocking out...
No sports meet is complete without Power Ranger ninjasIt should also be noted that EVERYBODY participated in this sports meet (even our chubby principal). There were all sorts of events. There was your standard 400m dash and shotput and some more bizarre events such as the 100m dash (while hula-hooping) and the stick and hoop dash. Hilarity... Anyways, everybody was part of the action and this meant that Emma and I ended up competing. I did the long jump, shotput, and 1500m and ended up 1st in shotput and 2nd in the 1500m. Here are some pictures of me and Emma in action!
Mid-jump action shot
Mid-jump action shot
Hurling shot
Shotput!
Showing off the big guns (the Chinese guys loved this one...)
Words can only begin to describe...
Shotput!
Showing off the big guns (the Chinese guys loved this one...)
Words can only begin to describe...I'm going to be updating more frequently now that we're back in town. I'm also going to work on getting some video of the sports meet up (its worth it...) I hope you are all doing well!
- Jon
- Jon
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