rain or shine ...

It's getting bright and sunny at 30 degrees north latitude. Time to buy that summer umbrella, hat, and gloves.

The Red Menace is gone

"It's killin' me. I can't eat, I can't sleep--all I can see is that giant red sun in the shape of a CHICKEN!" Cosmo Kramer

While we were in the US, the giant red JVC sign across from our apartment was replaced by a giant blue Mercedes sign. While I'll miss that gentle red glow, I welcome the new cool blue rays.

Taiji mania

True to footage seen on TV and photos in National Geographic, morning exercise goes on in every nook and cranny in China. Our neighborhood is no exception. In fact it takes place right in front of our building. John has to dodge taiji swords and fists every morning in order to make it to his bus.

I had been wanting to get into taiji ever since we came to Shanghai. When we moved to Xujiahui in October, I didn't feel I could brave the winter mornings. So when I got word that a new class was starting after the first Full Moon (beginning of March), I was all ready.

The first couple of weeks, classes started at 7. Then it was 7:30, which was not a problem since John gets up at 6:50 for his 7:30 bus.

The problem was that class seemed really fast for me. From beginning of March to mid April (when we left for our US visit), we went through a 24-move set, 88-move set, and a 52-move fan set! Classes take place Monday thru Saturday everyday for about one hour. When I slept in on Saturdays or when we went on weekend trips, I end up studying with videos. So, for a month and half, all my spare time was devoted to studying taiji, first thing when I get up and last thing before I go to bed.

I found I really like taiji. With yoga, I only manage to put in time, not posture. Compared to my elderly classmates, I do relatively well in taiji. Only relatively. Much to my surprise, taiji is hard work, not the mere arm-waving-in-slow-motion as I initially expected. It's really hard on the kneels; I cannot kick; I cannot squat low enough. And it takes a lot of concentration; it's meditative; the fan and 88-move make my heart beat! I can already tell my taiji sessions will be one of the highlights of our Shanghai experience.

Here's the view from our apartment balcony of Sun-Ling's taiji class. She is at far right in green top.

Our Clivia (updated)

After 5 years, 8 attempts, and 50 bucks, I finally get a clivia to flower. Yeah! Here's the photo.



Too bad we won't be able to fully enjoy it as we are headed to the US for 2 weeks.

UPDATE on May 6: I was wrong. The clivia was still blooming after our return from 16 days in the US. Thanks to our 6th floor neighbor for a great job watering our plants while we were away.

Start of Summer - 立夏 - Lixia

In addition to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, there are 24 solar periods in a year; e.g., 3/21 Spring Equinox, 6/21 Summer solstice, 4/5 Clear & Bright (tomb sweeping). 5/6 is "Start of Summer" (立夏Lixia).

When I was growing up, we were given hard boiled eggs to eat and play with. We would weave individual satchels out of colorful yarns for the eggs. We were also given herb sachets to ward off bugs for the upcoming summer. Since I grew up in Shanghai before bathroom scales, we headed off to the scale vendor around the corner to get ourselves weighed.

The egg eating & children weighing traditions stem from days before air condition and refrigeration when the hot summer made people loose weight due to lost of appetite and increased stomach flu. In fact, my father-in-law has a theory that Americans are fat because of air condition :(

Earlier today we headed out to the nearby Longhua Temple Fair and caught some of the children weighing and egg action.

Two kids with eggs around their necks.


The weighing ceremony (1 RMB). A girl with pigtails is on the scale (lower middle right)



And finally, it's not a fair without a Midway.


And additionally, last night we went over to my parent's and I made "egg holders" for my nephews. You really need colorful yarn, but all I could find was string. John was amazed that I remembered how to make them.

In this photo, Ian (at left) has his egg around his neck. Ethan (at right) has a New Year's ornament around his neck.