Another day

We'll the time is flying by...I guess I must be having too much fun. It's almost Chinese New Year!!! Year of the Rat my friends. I guess I'm a year of the Snake guy. So I really don't have any love for this darn Rat business. I don't even know what it means...but neither does anyone else I ask. Some old guys a long time ago set a 12 year rotation and everyone seems sold on the concept. Today was an interesting day f0r me. I went to a Bizarre with Mr. Wong (one of our Chinese sales people). We set up a booth to present our product. Since I'm the new guy they leached the project off to me. I can't say it was a complete waste of time...but...it was a complete waste of time. We had 3 Chinese couples come up and speak Chinese to Mr. Wong. The conversations lasted 30 seconds and than they were on to the next booth. I would ask Mr. Wong what they said...and he would just smile at me and answer Yes. After trying to explain myself and what I really wanted to know I knew is wasn't getting me anywhere but frustrated. So I turned my attention to the 20 something girl selling rugs in the next booth over. She had me at Herrow!!! I almost dropped 400 bucks on a silk rug due to this little vixen...but I played my cards tight. No rug...but a phone number. She's only in town due to being on Summer vacation from her School in Adelie Australia. I guess it won't work out long term :-)
My new life in Beijing has taken on a new twist...I'm starting to attend Hot Yoga classes. I've always known that I might need to shed a few pounds, but motivation has always been lacking. But I found the Holy Grail of motivation. A hot Chinese Yoga teacher. She is friends with my boss's wife Tara who I met at the BBQ at there house last weekend. I have to say...I'm a sucka for some broad who can twist and stretch her way into a million different positions. She makes Inspector Gadget look stiff. If you want to check her out and understand my reasoning...go to her website. www.yh42.com It's in Chinese for the most part, but she's the gal in all the pictures. Her name is Cherry and her Engrish is amazing. Plus she's a sweet girl Mom!!! She owns 3 Yoga studios in town and has her own Villa Dad!!!! Let's just see now if she wants to whip an out of shape fat guy into a lean mean Yoga machine!!! I went with Tara and Gary (our graphic designer) to one class already. Both Tara and Gary dropped out half way through the class. The Chief grounded it out though and struggled all the way to the end. Although my form was sloppy and my stretches didn't quite match the rest of the squad...I have to get some points for my stick to it ness!!! This Ugly American might not understand what's being said during the class, but he sure loved the visuals!!! My plan right now is to start going 2 times a week. I'm mixing that in with language lessons twice a week...so I should be a Native China man by the spring. A quick update for all of you concerned about my fish. Both Mike and Holly joined Rick the fish in the Beijing sewer system. A few hail Mary's and a pull of the string and they were rejoined with there former fishbowl roommate. Bob the fish is still alive and kicking. He's a little bit freaky at times...he just stays in one spot (I always think he's dead) and stares at me. I'm starting to think he might have been planted by the Chinese Communist party to watch my every move. All in all my time is busy and I'm enjoying new experiences each day. I've learned to not ask what I am eating until after I've tried something. The worse thing I think I've digested were the Musk Ox rocky mountain Oysters I had the other day. Once again the new guy gets picked on by his elders. Such is life and the initiation challenges of being the bottom man on the totem pole. They actually tasted pretty good. But pride probably won't allow me to order them again. I'm having fun and that's the important thing....till next time.