thoughts of the day

Realizing I've not yet posted anything about our month of travels, but moving right along:

Thoughts of the day (umbrella women pee fish):

1) I used my umbrella as a sun shield!  This is so Chinese of me (realizing I know nothing about the evolution of this practice here or whether it's practiced in other countries)!  A milestone!  Now I lust for a fancy UV-resistant, expensive (ala $6), but-not-too-spangly, official SUN umbrella!  I vow to shop for it soon with my Chinese girlfriend!

2) Why is it that otherwise amazing, talented, bilingual, giving, compassionate female environmentalism teachers here are sometimes not trusted by their husbands to be at home with their only son for even 2 days and must be immediately shipped off to their hometowns to be under their mother's care when the husband leaves town?  Said teachers hint with the tone of their voices that they know this is silly, but go along with it anyways.  This isn't a criticism, just something I fear/hope will require further investigation and discussion and could evolve into an amazing insight or two into feminism, motherhood, cultural difference, history, gender roles, and sociology.

3) Just to be scientific, not personal or gross about it, but how is it that I went a whole day only peeing at noon, but maintained an amazing sense of equilibrium, drinking a bit, sweating it all out, drinking a bit and sweating it all out?  In other words, it was damned hot and sticky today, but maybe I'm adapting a bit.  :)

4) Tomorrow I'm finally going fishing with Xander and the retired, gruff, Manchu (i.e. hot) -blooded professor who lives across from us.  He once declared that he could never hear Dave across the 20-foot lane that separates our buildings, but he could me.  Surprised?  Nah.  Hello, 4:45 a.m!  I will tell tall tales about the 6-footer that got away.

"Catch" ya later!

Jane