China Sleep

When do people in China sleep? I can't figure it out. They are everywhere. The only time I feel alone is in my apartment, except even then I'm not really alone. The sounds of people yelling, screaming, laughing, stomping fill the apartment. Kelly N and I decided to watch a movie one night in our little apartment living room. As she was figuring out the DVD player I looked out the window to see our neighbors basically watching us for entertainment. Seriously, I was just waiting for them to whip out the popcorn. But after a quick stare down, they departed and I closed our curtains.

Everywhere I go though, no matter the time, people seem to be bustling. There's this market thing in our little town that doesn't even open until the sun goes down. Then when I wake up (which due to the loud school bell and construction outside my window seems to be about 6-6:30 am) people are out and about. I've been going running around the track a lot. Then, I will meet someone and tell them I'm the knew Jiàoshī and they inform me that they have been watching me run. Kelly N. met a fellow teacher (Chinese) the other day, and she said she saw the other foreigner running around the track. They apparently had been watching me, and were surprised at a Westerner with so much energy.

A lot of our students will speak to us. But quite frequently, they will run up, say hello, cover their mouth, then jolt away both awkwardly and bashfully. I met a student in the Kodak shop who couldn't believe I was her teacher. She was so excited, but told me she was very nervous. I was the first foreigner she'd met, and talked to.


On another note, China has an overactive horn problem. People honk all the time. They honk to say hello. They honk so they don't hit you. They honk when passing. They honk when they think they might pass. They honk when you cross the street. They honk when they think that maybe you're thinking about crossing the street. It seems like it would be ineffective, and perhaps it is, yet I see no wrecks. They are insanely talented at being awful drivers. I don't think you could survive here unless you were a ridiculously bad driver.

Darn you, eHarmony!

My brother is getting married to one of the sweetest girls I know in August. I'm pretty excited. I am pretty sure the are going to be quite the power couple, like the next Brad and Angelina...except everyone will adore them, not just the half dozen kids they adopt.


In the meantime, as part of the groom's family, we are busy planning the rehearsal dinner. Well, it's mostly my mom planning, but I chime in from time to time. But as the "tech savy" child in the family (which does not say much, because I'm actually quite computer incompetent) I have been given the glorious task of creating a rehearsal dinner video of the future bride and groom. I want it to be fun, yet romantic, but mostly flirty fun. While I am a romancer, I recently watched a wedding video filled with nothing but the most mushy gushy 80s love ballad sounding songs, including one of my favorites "Beauty in the Beast."

In the mean time, my song selection will be a little more up tempo ideally. I was perusing through a bundle of songs, ranging from some humorous more recent popish songs, to one of my favorites "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole. Then my head immediately drifted to eHarmony. Perhaps this song would be fitting if I suddenly shifted the video to clips of Drew and Ash talking about some internet love connection (which did not occur). What a fun song...ruined by a dating service commercial. Darn you, eHarmony, darn you!

Futuristic Love Song

So the title of this post has absolutely nothing to do with the post itself, other than the word "futuristic" I suppose. But honestly, I thought the word future in my head, and now I can't get Justin Timberlake's "Futuristic Love Song" out of my head. Except my roommate just pointed out that I have been singing it wrong. Apparently it's "Future Sex Love Sounds." Well, thanks JT for ruining my innocence.

But now, the real point of this post. I graduate in 16 days, and tomorrow marks my last day of classes as a Clemson undergrad. It's so wild to think of everything that has happened since I've been here, and even wilder to think of what the future holds.

So here are my current options. Number one is currently the most probable and the thing I feel most called to do, BUT there are other options still. And the idea that I don't actually know what I'm doing excites me. It's been nice to finally achieve some contentment in the unknown, and trusting that God will lead me in the right way. So yeah...here's that list:

1. teach English in China (and find ways to share Jesus while I'm there)
2. work then travel to New Zealand with Lauren in January for an unknown period of time
3. Go on Survivor (or the Amazing Race). How baller would that be? That show is so freakin' awesome, I would probably get/stay tan, AND I'm sure my friends and family would find it amusing to tune in every week to watch me live on an island and perform ridiculous challenges.
4. work and start nursing school in January instead of the fall. (This is my least favorite option, and the least probably. Yes, even less probable than me going on Survivor.)

Public Airwaves Beware.

Friday I went live on the air for a friend's radio show. That's right folks, yours truly was broadcast live on the airwaves via the Clemson radio station that no one listens too. And I know what you're thinking...what a crackhead?? Who in their right mind would give this girl a microphone and allow her to speak LIVE.

I remember one of my first "live" speaking experiences. No, it wasn't on the airwaves, but it was televised via our local tv station as I spoke in front of the church. I don't remember much from that day, except for two highlights.

1. I either tripped up or down the stage over a microphone cord. This should come as no surprise, as I am the epitome of grace. I'm sure that moment made mom and dad real proud.

2. I made many really awkward statements that are not socially acceptable to make to a congregation full of old southern baptists. ( I would recap but I'd rather not relive it...Jamie Williams could probably share stories though.)

But this isn't actually about my old church speakin' days...it's about my most recent moment of fame. I was asked to discuss the medical field and health care, since apparently he though I would be an insightful biology student with ER experience.

I'm pretty sure it was an epic fail.

Let me also preface by saying that one of the other gentleman I was on air with is a very conservative Christian. While I too am a believer, life in the ER has made me talk about awkward subjects slightly more freely than others.

So here I am on the air. I've got these rockin' headphones with a very official looking microphone and we start discussing. Much of this is a blur, but let me give you a taste of the awkward stories I shared.

1. There is a lack of sex education and health education. Direct quotes, "Parents these days are idiots. Hmm...my eight year old has a fever of 99.0. I think I should refrain from giving them tylenol and rush them to the emergency room, where a doctor will then prescribe him children's motrin. Give me a break parents...gain some common sense!" This was followed by a statement by the guy doing the radio show "The opinions and beliefs do not express the views of this radio show."

2. Yet again, I was talking about health education as a fail. "When I was a sophomore in highschool they made us take health class. The only thing I remember learning was that I was going to hit puberty and have a period and get bigger boobs. Soo...is that what has been happening all these years?" The other people on the show were both guys...they looked at me a little disgusted. Clearly I need to gain a filter.

3. Yet another slightly offensive comment directed at people that are uneducated about healthcare...which I do in fact feel bad about. (I believe school and government are a fail for not helping people learn a little more about their own bodies.) "We have 18-year old idiots waltz in on their cell phones claiming they are having heart attacks. Really?? Have you ever heard of heart-burn and indigestion. Morons." This was yet again followed by a disclaimer.

Apparently all of my statements elicit disclaimers. I'm pretty sure the guy that asked me on will not be inviting me again for another rendevous.

Best place to pick up guys in the lowcountry: The Ice Palace

I think the title gives it away, but I've concluded that the best place to get some shoutouts and holla's is none other than the N. Charleston Carolina Ice Palace!

Now will these guys have some creeper tendencies? Probably so!

Is there a chance that they will miraculously need to break in the rink until you miraculously skate by? Probably so!

Will this happen about 1000 times while you're there? Probably so!

Will there be attractive but creepy friends peering from the table outside at you when they think you're not looking? Probably so!

Will you get whistles, hollas, and flirty conversation start ups, that despite your clear conveyance of "I'm not interested!" refuses to stop? Probably so!

Will they ask for you phone number? Probably so!



But despite all of these FABULOUS opportunities, will lovely ladies meet the man of their dreams? Probably not! :(

For those that my not be familiar with the song I'll give you a taste of the chorus...it's by Derek Webb:
and i am like a mockingbird
i’ve got no new song to sing
and i am like an amplifier
i just tell you what i’ve heard
oh, i’m like a mockingbird

After hearing that song today all i could think was "GOOD GRAVY! He's singing about me!"

I've been fortunate enough to have an amazing family and awesome parents that love Jesus and showed that to me. But as a result of growing up in a Christian family and in the church, I've learned all the ways to pretend to be godly and speak "Jesus lingo" without actually having a legitamate heart to heart. My conversations with God consist of the same things, half of which are things I've picked up by listening to other believers. My words are far from my own, and prayers are far from intimate conversation...rather a one-sided regurgitation of something shallow that I picked up on from somebody that is seemingly wiser than myself.

And now all I can think of is what garbage that is. Who cares if I can speak church talk and the "holy lingo." It's not real. In fact, the conversations I find myself having with God as of late are far from real...they're as fake as you can get. And what joy it brings me to realize how much God values a real conversation, with real issues, and no more pretending to holier than I am. It's so freeing.

Then on another note, I started thinking about my "testimony." It amazes me how as Christians so often we find ourselves sharing our testimony as an event that happened when we were ten years old and that's it. If that's the only thing God's been doing in our life then what kind of relationship is that?? We're a work in progress...and our story is continually being written. Yet I can't help but think that most of the song that I find myself singing is an old song...it's far from recent, which disgusts me.

He's half black and half white, he even fist bumps with his wife.

Love him or hate him...he's our president. AND there's a guy out there that does hilarious impersonations that I think everyone can enjoy.

Here's just a sample:
Whatever You Like (Obama Raps)