American in Shanghai

Once again I got to time-travel from Shanghai back to the states, arriving earlier the same day I left.  That makes for a long day.  I truly appreciate the air quality up in the mountains of Washington state where my dad and I spent the day yesterday up on Rimrock Lake.  It took us a while to catch on to the day's game but after a few hours we mastered the fish and limited out with 16 Kokanee Salmon apiece. The lake was nearly glass, the sun was mostly out, the pine smell from the forest wafted across the clean lake below.  A water-soaked log floated down the lake and nearly slammed us but at the last moment it went to our left and stopped against the island we tied up to.  Eventually it started working its way out and we merely lifted up our rope and slid it back out into the lake, avoiding our boat and anchor ties.  Otherwise it could have been a disaster. It is so very pleasant to see the hawks soaring above, wild flo...

Someone recently made a condescending remark to me about why I teach at Livingston American School of Shanghai. First of all I have to say I was very surprised that the person would say something so unprofessional, considering he is in about the same position of another school, and considering his school was trying to recruit me.  This person actually put stock in some false rumors which have circulated around the expat community.   It's too bad this person holds the attitude that he does because I was actually considering working alongside him to help build his program.    There are a number of reasons I choose to continue to teach and to direct the music program at Livingston American School.    Number one is we have a very close, family-like atmosphere where every student is known and appreciated for who they are.  This allows students to shine and for the students to really have close relationships with their teach...

Sometimes I feel I lead a wonderfully wacky yet great life.  I can't play all of the wonderful quartet jobs that crop up during the gorgeous autumns of Central Washington but I don't mind helping connect event planners and couples getting married with players who are available.  Even from Shanghai.  Last summer I remember fishing with my dad on the Columbia river, discussing arranging "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey with a client for later in the summer.  I don't think I mentioned to her where I was when she called!  On the other hand maybe that was just not right to take a call on that beautiful, serene place; yet as I told dad it's hard not to take a call when someone is planning their wedding and we'd been playing phone tag already from all over the planet!  As an entrepeneur himself he understood very well.   Lately I have been playing quartets with flute, violin, viola and cello here in Shanghai.  Everything from Bach, to Piazzolla ...

  An actual conversation with a sixth grader...   "My fish died"  "Oh, really?  Did you have to flush it?" "Nahh.  My turtle ate it."  "How is your turtle?" "Well I don't have it any more. It grew up and got big so my mom released it to the pond by our house."    

Here's a rundown of what things still cost...local and international.  Today I bought: a package of scrubber sponges, produce bags for the fridge, 2 boxes of 5-pack facials (rose and cucumber), 2 cans of Sprite, 2 boxes of liquid orangeate, a bottle of coconut yogurt, a bag of brown sugar and a bottle of hair conditioner for about $8.    Tomorrow I'll fork out about $40 for a bunch of organic and imported groceries to be delivered right to my apartment:  a can of refried beans, extra sharp Land O Lakes cheddar, Kraft parmesan cheese, organic red potatoes, organic carrots, organic purple onion, globe artichokes, beetroot, parsley, basil, canned salmon, organic cauliflower, organic green onion and fresh mozarella cheese.    My groceries are a mixture of imported luxuries and very reasonable local ingredients.  If I never bought the import stuff and only ate at home, I could eat extremely well on about $50 a week.  But I'm in Shanghai...where th...

It has turned into the wonderful period of about 3 weeks of gorgeous, comfortable weeks of weather when finally we don't need the heat on and don't yet need air conditioning.  It's a very short spring but beautiful while it lasts.    Here are a few pictures from last weekend.  My friend was visiting and it always seems I take a mini vacation myself when friends visit and see all the cool things I'd like to see but never get around to.  So the first few photos are from Qibao Old Street, one of my favorite places early in the morning; the last are of inside the Expo.  We went on the third day of it and I do recommend this experience. It is truly amazing and extremely educational. I plan to buy a multiday pass because it is just too big to see in a day; we saw maybe 20% or less walking for about 6 hours. 

Here are a few photos from my life as of late...couldn't resist posting these two postcards from Casino, NSW Australia that Kevin gave me.  Below them is my students' rock paintings; then a special octopus soup noodles new to the Ajisen Ramen restaurant's menu.  I felt it was my lucky day also because I happened across a repairman and had one of my favorite purses with me that needed some things stitched up; then I went to a cobbler I'm trying who's on the final stage of a pair of shoes for me.  It's my first try at custom shoes!  I'm planning to go back again to him to copy a pair of sandals I wore for about 12 years which finally broke in half after how many years of repairs...haha that's one thing I love in China is that I feel I can get shoes and bags easily repaired instead of just tossing them to the Goodwill.