The New Year is here

A few things for you today:

While telling Miles that most cars use a lot of gas, he added that most cars also use coins. Tigers also use coins.

I had my first ever article will be published this month. It is a short piece for Geez Magazine about my apartment compost. Geez is a cool little Canadian magazine in print and online. Their tag line is "holy mischief in an age of fast faith". I suggest that you take a look at it and be sure to look for my little blurb in the next issue. Though, I think that it will only be in the print version. In that case, you might want to subscribe to it.

As all of North America settles back into normal life after the holidays, China is just starting to rev things up. Most of the students are leaving the University with little roller suitcases to migrate back to their home towns for about a month and a half. The University turns into a ghost town. I kind of like the break in the action and it just might motivate me enough to head out to the basketball courts for the first time in about 8 months.

Speaking of sporting events, a few of us foreigners have been making regular trips to the soccer field to play American football. I say 'American' because we use 4 downs and our salaries are grossly inflated.

A couple of the local guys want in on the action. They are also on the baseball team that a few of us are involved in. Something tells me that football might eventually be a bigger draw than the baseball team. Yet, I hope that they both flourish this Spring.

Anyways...

New Year's eve is on the 22nd, and the real highlight for for me is when the whole town lights up at midnight.

In Canada, there is a big firework show on New Year's in the middle of the city. In China, there are thousands of small firework displays all over the city. It's a sound and sight that cannot be duplicated without being in the real danger of being in a war zone. At least, that's how I imagine it.

I've been watching a lot of Ni Hao Kai Lan these days. In it, she makes up an annoying dragon dance. Lucky for you, I cannot find it to show it here. In any event...

Happy Year of the Dragon!