thank God (no seriously) for the duo computers
in my hotel lobby in Shanghai

my fingers thus runneth over thy blaque blaque keyboard-
sweet hp LT706 screen, speakth to me.

rights.=/
anyway, i have spent the last 5 days in China!

today was fun ^^
why?
i found a whole five yuan note on the mrt!
(its one dollar plus in Sing really)

but i had it converted to one jiao (cent) coins
and then i dropped one into any beggars tin cup i saw!
lemme tell you
theres a LOT of beggars for such a rich city.

some lay smack prostate in the middle of the pavements
some (the women) carry their young children
some are disabled
soem are truly dishellved and unkempt
some sneak into eateries and restaurants
to get kicked out by staff
and push themselves on rusty wheelchairs
some dont have wheelchairs.
they sit on cardboard and hold plaques
some kowtow continously
some kneel in front of you at a crowded traffic junction
the elderly can be the most heartwrenching
when you give money to one
more can follow you right across roads
tugging at your warm snug jacket sleeves

and in the busy weekend crowd
in the frigid winter of three degree coldness
through the glass windows of posh restaurants
where groups dine of huge tang baos and
feast on delicacies-
in the midst of throngs of people
everyone studiously ignores you./

think you ve got troubles again?

this is not a one-sided attack-
there are many things that i love about China
great food
fantastic shopping (bargains galore)
close family time exploring the emerging superpower
of the world.

but of all the things that irk me-
this is probably the one that impacts me most.

ok this post is a little pessimistic i admit
but-
welcome to the real world.