The Brain Dump

The heavens part and drums roll like thunder . . .

Animals bow and the baboon steps forward . . .

Behold . . .

Here stands before you a man . . . who would read doodles.

And I did! It was at a supermarket that opened up today(!), which meant that every doodle in the province wanted to stop by and check out the low low prices. Christina's and my tutor, Cathrine, and her ever-present friend, Lucy, gave us a call to tell us the good news (that the supermarket was opening), and Christina and I decided to see what all the hub-bub was about, seeing as we our out of rice.

The place was mobbed. The only thing missing was the rage virus. But. But! That isn't what's important. None of this, in fact, is important. What's important is that this guy [*twiddles thumbs at self*], this guy is the guy who finally read a sign in doodles. The sign--that magical, literacy unlocking sign--read this:

小心有电

Ha HA! I know, I know--not exactly Earth-shattering. But I'll take it!

For those who are doodle-impaired, allow me to explain what this wonderous sign is saying. The characters read as thus: xiao3xin1 you3 dian4. 小, you may recall (if you've been keeping up with your doodles), means "small," and 心 means "heart." However, when they are crammed together, they form a compound doodle that means "Caution." Don't ask why. The next one, 有, is the verb "to have," but it can also mean "There is" or "There are." I learned this doodle this week, I believe. The last one, 电, means "electricity." I shouldn't know that one but I do because I kept seeing it around and finally asked one of my students what it was on one random occasion.

So.

Following from the doodles, I correctly read the sign as saying: "Caution, Electricity"

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So what I'm really trying to say is:

1) I saw the sign.
2) It did, indeed, open up my eyes.

And now it's like a whole new world has opened up before me. A whole new world! Hit it, Nick!

Howdy, readers, from the Lone Star Repub--er . . . I mean, State. The Lone Star State . . .

Yes, I'm back in Texas, ever-awaiting my letter of invitation from the Chinese government. Christina is in Minnesota doing the same. Its hard being away from her. I've decided I very much do not like it. But how can I be blue when I've moved back in with my wonderful parents . . . my . . . my wonderful . . . oh-so wonderful . . . puuuuuh . . .

OK, so it has been difficult. I'm not the most patient person when I'm around my parents. It's just . . . good lord do I not want to live with them anymore! I enter their house, and once again I'm in high school. I suppose that's how it goes with most parents, right? Guuuuuh.

An upside is they hadn't seen The Dark Knight, so I got to see it with them, bringing my total viewings to 三。 <-- that would be "san1," or three in Mandarin. Oh yeah. I've been rockin' the Chinese lessons. Though I'm fairly useless when it comes to the doodles. I would be lying if I didn't say I had to look that one up. Doodles, though. Seriously, China? What kind of a country develops thousands and thousands of doodles instead of a much smaller number of letters? Maybe it's the bull-headed American culture talking, but letters are clearly the better way to go. Friggin' doodles. And it's not like China doesn't know about letters now. Yet they insist on the doodles. Sigh . . .

That was, of course, sarcasm for any Chinese official who might be reading. I greatly respect China's rich and wonderful culture and all of their . . . doodley goodness . . . yay, China (can I have a visa now, please?)!