December 28th: new year's lesson
[ posted by mcdeviltoast ]
Day 102
Woke early and pedaled in the cold morning to the post office. I wasn't in the best mood after getting there; with numb extremities, chilled lungs. A showed a lady my slip and she pointed me to another gent who had a monstrous combover.
I gave handed him the slip, and he examined it for a minute. Then he went away, studied it some more, came back with a Western Union form and pointed at the "ID number" line. I fished out my license, handed it over. He studied that, someone came up and looked with him as he flipped it over, scrutinized it for god-knows-what. I was starting to seethe.
Finally, he saw the proper crease in the lamination or something because he went in the back and got a small padded envelope, from my friend Meghann in Moab. I turned to leave and dude stopped me, jabbed at the slip with an authoritative finger. I shrugged and he made a writing pantomime. I signed it. That wasn't enough. He wanted my license number, too. I signed that. Then he said "Country.Country." God damn it. I scratched out "USA" fiercely.
Pedaling down to the Times, I was close to going off and I did snap at a couple people. One was a person not paying attention just stepping into the bike lane and I barked, "Watch out! Jesus!" Another guy who was standing right next to a garbage can decided to chuck his plastic bag right in in the path of my oncoming wheel. "What the hell is wrong with you?! You're right by a garbage can?! Fucker!"
I went into the Times, got some noisemakers and two little notebooks with square-shaped paper. The clerk refused to take my 20 note because it was taped together. I sighed, pulled out another bill, smiled good-naturedly. It's not her fault if they have a policy against ghetto bills.
I pedaled back with my temper keeping me warm, shaved and showered. This week's lesson is all about New Year's Eve. I teach them about tuxedos and champagne and confetti and noisemakers and how to make a party hat. We do a countdown and I taught them "Auld Lang Syne" which they play in China year-round, so most of the kids knew the melody already.
I gave candy to my second class because they are always good. The new apathy crew got nothing, though they were good today. I gave the girl who gave me the card a big candy cane that Erin gave me. "Thank you very much for the card last week and for being a good student." I heard audible gasps of awe at her reward as I left. Maybe it will inspire them to follow her example.
So my brief moment of elation was killed by the bastards in the next class. I almost lost my temper with them. I had to bang on the desk and tell them to stop talking, repeating 20 times "Do not talk right now." Then I'd turn my backto write on the board and the mutterings and chatter would emanate. I had to take a book away from a guy in the back. I left without saying anything.
The guy who I took the book away from came running down the stairwell, "Sorry I was reading book."
"Ok." If he was truly sorry, would he have been reading it in the first place?
Meghann sent me a dvd of "Silent Night, Bloody Night", the finest Christmas themed horror film 1973 has to offer, some microwave popcorn and hot chocolate. Love that girl.
After dinner I pedaled out to Dongzhou to watch it, Erin And Matt saying they would follow suit, but I think they just wanted to stay in. Mike, Heather, Lindsey and I went out and got some fried dumplings, similar in taste to White Castle. These are delicious murder.
A quick stop at a bakery, a beer pit stop, and then back to Mike's room. He discussed travel plans for spring festival that sounded fun, a big wide train loop around China, coming back before the Chinese go on holiday thereby beating the hordes and skyrocketing prices. If we are off at the same time, I'm considering going with him.
"Silent Night Bloody Night" was just what I thought it would be. I can mine it for a few good samples. It's not rematstered at all, all scratches, too dark night shots, and muddled sound are intact. It's like video tapes never went away. Yay! Then we watched the end of "Evolution" and I pedaled home, slept the sleep of the tired.
Woke early and pedaled in the cold morning to the post office. I wasn't in the best mood after getting there; with numb extremities, chilled lungs. A showed a lady my slip and she pointed me to another gent who had a monstrous combover.
I gave handed him the slip, and he examined it for a minute. Then he went away, studied it some more, came back with a Western Union form and pointed at the "ID number" line. I fished out my license, handed it over. He studied that, someone came up and looked with him as he flipped it over, scrutinized it for god-knows-what. I was starting to seethe.
Finally, he saw the proper crease in the lamination or something because he went in the back and got a small padded envelope, from my friend Meghann in Moab. I turned to leave and dude stopped me, jabbed at the slip with an authoritative finger. I shrugged and he made a writing pantomime. I signed it. That wasn't enough. He wanted my license number, too. I signed that. Then he said "Country.Country." God damn it. I scratched out "USA" fiercely.
Pedaling down to the Times, I was close to going off and I did snap at a couple people. One was a person not paying attention just stepping into the bike lane and I barked, "Watch out! Jesus!" Another guy who was standing right next to a garbage can decided to chuck his plastic bag right in in the path of my oncoming wheel. "What the hell is wrong with you?! You're right by a garbage can?! Fucker!"
I went into the Times, got some noisemakers and two little notebooks with square-shaped paper. The clerk refused to take my 20 note because it was taped together. I sighed, pulled out another bill, smiled good-naturedly. It's not her fault if they have a policy against ghetto bills.
I pedaled back with my temper keeping me warm, shaved and showered. This week's lesson is all about New Year's Eve. I teach them about tuxedos and champagne and confetti and noisemakers and how to make a party hat. We do a countdown and I taught them "Auld Lang Syne" which they play in China year-round, so most of the kids knew the melody already.
I gave candy to my second class because they are always good. The new apathy crew got nothing, though they were good today. I gave the girl who gave me the card a big candy cane that Erin gave me. "Thank you very much for the card last week and for being a good student." I heard audible gasps of awe at her reward as I left. Maybe it will inspire them to follow her example.
So my brief moment of elation was killed by the bastards in the next class. I almost lost my temper with them. I had to bang on the desk and tell them to stop talking, repeating 20 times "Do not talk right now." Then I'd turn my backto write on the board and the mutterings and chatter would emanate. I had to take a book away from a guy in the back. I left without saying anything.
The guy who I took the book away from came running down the stairwell, "Sorry I was reading book."
"Ok." If he was truly sorry, would he have been reading it in the first place?
Meghann sent me a dvd of "Silent Night, Bloody Night", the finest Christmas themed horror film 1973 has to offer, some microwave popcorn and hot chocolate. Love that girl.
After dinner I pedaled out to Dongzhou to watch it, Erin And Matt saying they would follow suit, but I think they just wanted to stay in. Mike, Heather, Lindsey and I went out and got some fried dumplings, similar in taste to White Castle. These are delicious murder.
A quick stop at a bakery, a beer pit stop, and then back to Mike's room. He discussed travel plans for spring festival that sounded fun, a big wide train loop around China, coming back before the Chinese go on holiday thereby beating the hordes and skyrocketing prices. If we are off at the same time, I'm considering going with him.
"Silent Night Bloody Night" was just what I thought it would be. I can mine it for a few good samples. It's not rematstered at all, all scratches, too dark night shots, and muddled sound are intact. It's like video tapes never went away. Yay! Then we watched the end of "Evolution" and I pedaled home, slept the sleep of the tired.
---
[ posted by mcdeviltoast @ 12/29/2004 01:12:00 AM ]
[ permanent link ] 
Post a Comment
<< Home
The dumbtronica act Montana & McDeviltoast, along with their friends, keep each other updated on their activities. Much fun having by all, and Pockys fear for their lives!