i haven't updated regularly in awhile, so i'm not sure where to start. a few quotes are as good as anything, i suppose.

karen, a local english teacher: when your sister smiles, it's like an angel, but when you smile, it's really something strange

jessie, one of my jr 3 (~15 year old) students, after i showed her some pictures on my laptop: your ex-girlfriends were all ugly because you're ugly

i'm now beginning the second month of my official Study Chinese season. so far, it's gone along remarkably similar to the last semester that i spent in berkeley after graduating. that is, i wake up late, realize that China still doesn't believe in central heating systems, and lay in bed re-hashing fond memories of the tub of chocolate that i ate for christmas last december.

i even found an equivalent for the meal of popcorn that i used to eat at least once a day in california: sunflower seeds. and not the tiny 25 cents/pound birdfeed, i'm talking about the 60 cents/pound edible gold that only foreigners and corrupt government officials can afford.

xiaoyong, a friend of mine, is coming to pick me up to bring me to xujun's house for dinner, so that's it for now. i've been making some new friends and spending a lot of time with local friends here ever since the other foreigners left a month ago, which has been nice, though i've taken to regularly talking to myself in english, i guess so i don't forget how.