Walking Around With A Flipped Umbrella

So, I suppose China has been feeding rain seeds/rockets to force rain upon Beijing today. I woke up ready to start my day, only to realize that it was pouring rain outside. Umbrella-less and on my way to Sculpting in Time, I grabbed a frilly lilac colored umbrella near the door. It flipped the other way, like the type that would blow a crappy umbrella inside out, but appearing to be more natural. Feeling that I couldn't make it normal and it was, I repeat, pouring, I just walked out the apartment building with a oddly half opened flipped banana. Wish I had a picture of that spectacular moment. Luckily, around the corner at a shoe shop, where I attempted to ask where I could buy a new umbrella, the saleslady helped unflip my umbrella and got it working. Talk about how useless and unthrifty I felt, like some shallow rich girl who didn't know how to tie her own shoes or something so simple.

I talked to my best friend from NJ online today...she's not quite happy at this moment due to a variety of issues. I wish I was there for her, as we were supposed to spend the summer together in the tri-state area. Instead, here I am, oceans away with a crappy inernet connection. Heck, I'm not in Myanmar, so I guess I should be glad of my lifestyle. Yet, I do so wish I was there as a presence despite not being able to be of help in any way possible. I don't aim to be any supergirl, but my zodiac is a taurus, and a tiger, so I have a tendency of protecting the people around me.

Perhaps I have turned into a softie, but I generally have a soft spot for all my friends. Best friends especially. As she told me a sparknotes version, I was getting sad and teary (for no reason). Though it was no one's real fault except for timing, I wanted to fly all the way back just to beat people up to probably make me feel better rather than my friend. It's hard to describe this wretched feeling of not being able to protect my best friend from all that pain. Then again, it's about that time of the month when I'm quite pmsy so perhaps there is this feeling of sadness. (As I start making up this long dramatic song~ Saaaaaddd---neesssss)

Thus, here I am, back in China, where you can get a set meal for $2-3, birth control pills for $2,50, an abortion for about $60. Professional beggars on the streets, controlled internet surfing, an abundance of foreigners who only drink and party every night. Local Chinese who feel Americans are invading China, the growth of a bubble economy, Chinese who psychologically believes it is the righteous thing to do to rip off foreigners in any means possible. I do wonder how I ended up once again in this corrupted country.

Where the real estate agent and landlord combine forces to purposely rip apart foreigners. Lessons from the learned~ My rule of thumb, never mix personal and business together, it walks a fine line. You know there's something wrong with the picture when the translator breaks down crying in negotiations, it's about time your "building a good rapport" with that person is cut off in terms of business. Alway live with caution in China, as statements that seemingly fishy can simply be noted as lies, thus battle lies with time and arguments for righteousness. In any negotiation, don't let yourself be pushed or hurried, the main goal of the game is to get someone to follow your pace. If you let things slide easily and get rushed into something you're uncertain about, that's when issues arise, and the cheating is allowed. People are easily taken advantaged of if not careful, and I always have hated that feeling of being cheated.

I don't know how to really explain my time in China yet. It's been of the lazy sort, where I get a bit accomplished each day in terms of errands, but I wished it to be slightly action packed. This still artsy laziness was something I craved for, this alone time to contemplate, sometimes I wonder if it is too much of an indulgence. I'm sure it is healthy, but rainy days just don't agree with me for sure.