February 23, 2016

February 23, 2016

7:03 pm on the 22nd

My last post was for the 19th, so I'm a few days behind, but I've started taking some short notes, about which classes I taught, which students, anything actually noteworthy, on my daily work schedule. I'll catch up on those posts tomorrow, if in a truncated fashion.

I seem to be sick again, I spent a good portion of last night and today blowing my nose- but at least my throat seems to be fine. I am somewhat low energy, but that could also be tied into having had less sleep.

There are fire works outside my window, it sounds like a sudden downpour on a metal roof. I guess I should grab that camera... as expected, I start recording, and it all but dies away. At least now there's a recording of my stuffed up sounding voice.

Oh, and the fireworks are because today is the Lantern Festival. Does the Lantern Festival last one day or multiple days? No idea. But they serve a kind of cold dumpling thing for the occasion (a word I hate trying to spell) and you'll never guess what it tastes like: peanut butter and jam! Didn't expect that one.

I was supposed to go check out a fireworks display with Aimen (now I think it's spelled with an 'e', maybe he's messing with me, spelling-wise), but I didn't get back home until after he checked on me, left a note, and headed out. It doesn't matter, I wasn't feeling like going out anyways- also, his note said the official fireworks display was cancelled due to pollution. Scary. But that hasn't dampened the spirits of the firework loving citizens of this metropolis.

This morning....okay, just barely afternoon, I got out of the shower to the sound of a dripping noise. I hate that noise- it's the sound of a problem that requires some kind of adult response. The dripping was from some kind of nozzle at the bottom of my now-powered water heater. Hmm, perhaps if I pull the lever down *spray of water from the nozzle* ookay, so I'll push it the other way*spray of water from the nozzle* so there's no right answer here. I went back to the power switch things and turned off the power to the heater- the drip seemed to slow, but that maybe had more to do with me not fiddling directly with the nozzle.

I won't keep you in suspense about it, during my extended visit to work today I stopped Vicky to let her know about this drip situation, and she said to tell her if it persisted to the next day. I returned home to find no drip, the room dry as a dry place.

I don't know what to tell you.

My main pursuit today was in biting the bullet and looking at the exchange rates, and preparing to send money to Canada for my various credit card and student debts. I have tons of money for life in China, at least so far as I can tell. But it doesn't translate all that well.

To get into the grisly details, I still have my cellphone for Canada (which I want to keep)- $22.60. My Wal-Mart card, uh, I'm sending $50 for that one, I always forget to bring my password with me to work so I can check the statement on that one- my low Visa card is easy, $17 which I round up to $20. I know what you're thinking: what's this guy complaining about, this doesn't sound so bad! Well, hold on- student loan is $175 at the end of the month, and my BIG credit card, the maxed out one, is well, some fee or other tipped it over the edge (ARRGH that's the worst) so that's a $50 fee right there, plus internet for everyone back in Canada is about $53- that card needs $300. Aye. Yeah, that's the hit you were waiting for.

So I need $567.60 Canadian in my Canadian bank account to make these people happy (and I think I already blew it, because I don't think this months internet fee has been charged to my card yet, so that'll bounce and I'll get hit with another fee? Man.) $567.60, add 10% to cover any Moneygram fees, and the fee from getting Jordan to e-transfer the funds from his account into mine- so $624.36. In Chinese Yuan that's 2958.30- I took out 3000 from my account here, so I have it, I have that which the wampyre feeds on- but apparently the sign that said "Moneygram" outside the Bank of China by Roosevelt was just for show, and I have to go back to the ever loving Zhongshan Square to get this sent.

I really wanted to angrily tell the guy they should lose the sign, but I didn't. INSTEAD I mentioned that exact same anecdote about wanting to tell the guy to remove the sign on facebook, ending with "somehow I was repressed" or however  phrased it- I'm hoping someone comments that I repressed it through "years of practice" and then I can happily comment "yes, I was hoping someone would add that punchline, I set you up for that".

But the chances of that happening are somewhat slim.

I didn't have the energy for Zhongshan Square trips- it was about 3:30 and I didn't want to make the trip only to be told the bank closed early for the Lantern Festival or something, so forget it, tomorrow I'll go.

One of the flyer girls- a short girl with a darker complexion, dimples, slightly tiny teeth that accompany a knowing smile, dark eyes that always seem like she's squinting- she probably is, I've seen her wear glasses- with just above the shoulder length hair, often styled with a slight curl to it, an orange-brown colour except for the dark roots, asked for my name today. We've smiled and nodded at each other for over a month now- I assumed she didn't have much English, well, okay, she doesn't, but she has more than I thought. Anyway, her name is Tammy. Glad to know it.

After Vicky finally finished her class about the first episode of Friends I told her about that drip business, you know all about that- and I was all set to leave, whether to crawl into bed, or to visit Aimen, or what, but Steve/Bradley/Sylar invited me to grab food with them at Food Bazzar. Well, sure, why not? Besides my not feeling well... and it wasn't just me, tons of people today said "er, are you feeling okay?" so I clearly must not be looking like my regularly scheduled self.

The Sunny I'm most familiar with joined us- while the others were on the far side getting whatever, Sunny purchased a drink (and only a drink, despite being so skinny she's concerned about her weight..) which she ended up spilling a bit of when she tried to put her lid on it. It was kind of embarrassing, so I told her how earlier that day I was having some melon pieces in Food Bazzar (hoping the melon would magically cure me) when it looked like this woman across the way was staring at me- and then she got up and started walking towards me, so naturally right then I start choking on a melon piece... as she walks on by to get her food that was being prepared at the stall behind me. Classic Swingers moment, an embarrassing story.

Trust me, I'm usually cooler than that.

It seems Sunny has only two more classes with us before she begins the job that had her studying English in the first place- airline attendant! Woah, awesome! Also, she reminded me about how she studied Japanese for so long, so I searched out the one song on my music player from Kamen Rider Fourze that's about growing up, changing, and living in and loving the moment while it's here and it lasts. I think it's a wonderful song. Sunny said she liked it too, though she couldn't understand it.

It's always tough when someone hands you a song on the spot. Here, like this! You like, yes? No? Ah, what do you know.

Okay, my head hurts and I already took some tylenol type business. I'm going to play some Candy Crush, then a bunch of pokemon, then sleep whenever I fall asleep. - 8:15 pm