It's raining, It's pouring, somethings are really ANNOYING!!

Well today we are under the signal of a Typhoon 3. This basically means that there is one close, and we will get the effects of wind and rain, but it's not on top of us. And IS it ever raining. The wind actually hasn't been too bad it's just POURING RAIN! This morning lucky it wasn't raining when I went out, but knowing that it was going to rain meant that everyone had their umbrellas with them. This is the first of my annoying things today.

• UMBRELLAS--I love them, who ever invented them was genius. Especially the person who invented my Eddie Bauer umbrella. You press the button and it opens and then press the button when you want to close it. No pinched fingers. The problem that I have with umbrellas is that people don't know how to walk with them. A lot of people have those big "Golf" umbrellas and use them as a cane when they are walking. Except that when they are walking they put it very forward of themselves and then walk past it and then let it stay in place behind them for a few steps then they do this crazy swing with it to get it a few steps in front of them again and the craziness starts over. It wouldn't be a problem if the streets of Hong Kong weren't crowded. But hello, people, there is someone walking right behind you and she is getting hit or tripping over your stupid umbrella. Why can't you use it properly.
  
• UMBRELLAS--Wait didn't you just complain about them? Yes, I did. but there's more. the people who use the small compact umbrellas. Since this umbrella doesn't touch the floor it must be swung in a very high arch. I guess since basically there is an extension on their arms, the natural swinging of the arms is made even bigger and if you are walking to close to someone as they are walking up the stairs you might get an umbrella in the eye.
  
• THE POLES IN THE MTR--First for those of you not in Hong Kong you are probably wondering what the MTR is. It's the subway. In the middle of the car is a pole that people can wrap their entire body around and/or lean on if they aren't able to get a seat. WRONG!!! The pole is not for you to lean on, it's not for you to hug, it's for a group of people to put their hands on to keep their balance when the train is moving. Why do so many people feel the need to lean on the pole with their entire body. HELLO, where am I supposed to put my hands. This morning I am standing next to the pole with my hand on it and at the next stop a guy comes on and proceeds to lean his back and head against the pole. DO YOU NOT SEE ME RIGHT HERE??? So, I had to move about 3 steps away to one of the bars that hangs from the ceiling. I was peeved. As I was standing there, I started to look down the car farther. I couldn't believe it...EVERY pole had some idiot leaning or hugging it.
  

I am thinking that in the schools here they should start having a class that is "proper use of daily items."

Is there anything like this that drives you nuts. Leave me a comment and let me know.

Asian Olympic Sports

I have recently found this new website. MisterJam.com It is HILARIOUS!! Well maybe I think it is so funny because I live in Hong Kong. Anyways. Here is Mr. Jam's proposed games for the Beijing Olympics.

1. Subway Face-Off: Team A tries to get out of a subway train carriage while Team B tries to get in.

2. Synchronized Smoking: 20 Marlboro in 20 minutes. Korea and Japan are tipped for the gold and silver medals in this one.

3. Moderated Karaoke: An audience of singers and musicians will judge this, their brains wired to a cringe-o-meter.

4. Noodle Slurp: The award goes to whoever can down the longest noodle with a single slurp, no hands.

5. Road Racer: This is a car racing sport with drivers having to swerve around bullock carts, tri-shaw pile-ups and massed platoons of terminally deaf scooter riders.

6. Toilet Gymnastics: Contestants have to use a traditional Asian squat toilet, a Western-style throne toilet and a hi-tech Japanese toilet one after another. Not easy.

7. Chopstick Lunge: Four pork buns in the basket, five diners, ready-steady-go.

8. Elevator Leap: Team A has to close the lift doors before Team B reaches them.

9. Democracy Demand: Each team has to organize a demonstration to ask for political reform in their country. (Most Asian citizens are well-practiced losers in this game.)

10. Chilli Chew-Off: Teams eat red-hot peppers in relay form, finishing with those tiny green blow-your-head-off ones from Thailand. Medal for anyone who survives.

Someone left him a comment on this post of his.
***You have forgotten 2:
1. The longest and loudest throat clearing competition
2. the furtherest snot / spit launching event

Happy Birthday to Me

Tuesday was my birthday. And here's the funny thing...When I lived in Hong Kong before(2003), I celebrated my 29th birthday and here I am celebrating that one again. And this year my little sister caught up to me. She just turned 29 on Saturday. Happy birthday, Sarah!!

In all my years, I have never met anyone who shared my birthday. Until Tuesday and I found out that 2 of my students have the same birthday. How crazy is that?!?!

Since my birthday was in the middle of the week, some friends and I went out to celebrate on Saturday night. We started out at Habibi Cafe for some really good food. Then we went to Honeymoon Dessert for my favorite dessert...Mango and Black Glutenous Rice in Vanilla Sauce. (you have to try it before you say gross...It's very good) Then we went to Lan Kwai Fong for some dancing.

Lynn, Nikelle, me and Rachel

Birthday girls! Harmony's BD was on Sunday

Nikelle and Me

When we were in Lan Kwai Fong we met this guy from the US Navy. You can't really tell but he has a gold grill in his mouth. It was really funny. He was a really nice guy.

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes, cards, emails and gifts!

Anchors Away, my boys(and girls), Anchors Aweigh

The USS Nimitz was recently in town with its fleet. This time I got the chance to host 5 sailors that are on board the USS Chafee. It ended up that Friday the 4th was a public holiday, so I offered to be their Tour Guide for the day. We started off with a trip to a tailor and then Indian food for lunch. We made it up to the Peak in the afternoon, but unfortunately it was so overcast that they couldn't see the harbor. Then we headed to dinner for some wonderful Chinese. HoHo Mei.

We got together again (plus two more sailors) on Sunday for some Market Shopping. I took them to the Ladies Market and then we went for dinner. It was a really nice time spending those two days with them.

Jatan, Nate, Matt, Paul, Me, Nick, Michelle and Jen