textures | tones

Sean’s stepmom showed me how to boil water (I’m so embarrassed) and now I have an unlimited supply of hot water, optionally for tea.  This is wonderful.  I’ve even gotten some studying done.

We’ve now secured an apartment–well, secured, at least in some sense. The rent is already high and we’ve sort-of been warned that the landlady may increase it. The place is quite nice, however, and I can’t wait to have my own collection of points in the 3-d coordinate plane. Everyone here has been wonderful, and at least Sean’s grandmother will be sad that we won’t be around as much, but I will be happier once I have my own desk, tea paraphernalia, and place to put my stinky running clothes. We will hopefully be moving on Sunday.

I registered for the GMAT and have only a few weeks to study. I am also working on getting the recommendation letter templates out. Chinese schools are *so* not on a schedule–except, apparently, as regards receiving my completed application. One has posted the 2010 app; the other, not so much. As National Holiday draws to a close, however, I’m hoping they’ll be more responsive.

I have also lately learned that the picture on the outside of the package does not necessarily reflect the contents. I bought a package of tasty dried fruits (labeled plums…maybe). Although I am in no way dissatisfied with the contents, I was mildly surprised by them.  These photos are the outside and the inside. I am likely to pursue a new package of these, as I’ve eaten almost all of them.

Package

Contents. Tasty, but not as advertised.

The weather has been intermittently astonishingly beautiful, but it is getting cold. I anticipate that we will need to use a heater soon. I understand that it doesn’t get as cold here as, say, Boston, but that it will approach freezing. I am also becoming impatient to explore more, especially on my own, and am finding my lack of language skills quite limiting. This is not surprising, and I believe that as the National Holiday finishes up–and I have my own apartment — I can get the language-learning show on the road. *Can’t wait to unpack.*

I signed up for my first race in Beijing, or outside it–only a 10k, but since registration for the Beijing Half-Marathon is closed, I’ll take what I can get. I also posted on the Beijinger website, asking for gym recommendations and info on running clubs. I’m not optimistic anyone will have anything useful to say, but let’s see what fish this net ensnares.

Don’t expect this post to be thrilling, dear reader. In fact, if you have an expectations of an interesting read, please dispose of them now, before continuing any further down this landmarkless road of an entry.

*Thank you.* Now…

I am mildly lactose intolerant. However, last night at the grocery store I felt the need to buy a gallon of milk. Today I not only had milk on cereal for breakfast, I was also struck by a desire to *drink* some of it this afternoon. This is all very strange. I was probably 10 when I last drank a glass of milk straight (i.e., unadulterated with Kahlua and Bailey’s or Ovaltine or anything else). It’s already upsetting my stomach. It was, however, very satisfying. Maybe my body was in dire need of calcium? Am I subconsciously aware that milk may not be readily available in China? Is it some unfathomable response to doing GMAT math problem sets?

In any event, I hope I will not regret the milk indulgence. There is reason for concern, as drinking milk is supposedly not a good idea before a run (clearly, I have never tested this bit of common knowledge, as I don’t drink milk…), and I haven’t gotten my run in yet today. Yesterday, I had a very enjoyable jaunt and even explored a bit of a neighboring town I hadn’t been to on foot before. This was not necessarily expected, as the air quality has been poor, the weather has been hot, and the need to adapt to a new environment have limited my distances and besmirched my times over the last six weeks. I have had few really enjoyable outdoor runs since July and I hope I have not destroyed an opportunity. We’ll find out soon enough, as it’s about half an hour before my schedule indicates its preference that I lace up.

In other news, I have worked through most of my GMAT book, which contains some truly puzzling misprints. I also flipped its pages in vain to find the answer key to a problem set I did, finally turning to Teh All-Noing Internets for the answers. I discovered that a veritable PDF volume, understatedly labeled “errata” and posted online, contains a re-issuance of the entire math practice chapter of my GMAT book. Nice of them to tell me, of course; still, I suppose I got some extra practice by reasoning why they could not possibly mean what they said in the practice book. (“You can use all the help you can get! Ingrate!! Cretin!!!”)

Oh, my stomach does not feel good. Not good at all.

Finishing up in the States is leaving me with a clean and ready feeling about moving on to China. It’s been lovely to see folks, and very nice to travel. Still, I feel very temporary and kind of displaced. Bouncing around the country makes China smell like stability. (Way to set yourself up for contrast, Maria.) Furthermore, as logistical issues are resolved, I can start working on securing continuity in the component parts of Sean-and-Maria life.

It looks as if a Beijing half-marathon will be held a few weeks after I arrive. Perhaps I’ll be able to run it. I ran at the YMCA in my parents’ town this morning because I slept in past the time I could reasonably run outside in this humidity. I’m quite pleased I hadn’t cancelled my LA membership yet. Good.

I looked up the GMAT testing center in Beijing. The location doesn’t mean a ton to me now, but I feel better to have confirmed its existence. It is in any event in the same “district” I intend to live in.

My best friend, Sarah, bought me a couple of books (one a Mandarin mini-textbook written by someone who helpfully has some training in modern academic phonetics) and so I learn a new phrase here and there…yes, being able to talk, that’s something I’d like. I’ve been reading some history and guidebooks as well. I’m sure I’ll learn much faster in China, but I feel better the more I learn beforehand.

Ai! I cannot wait. I also miss the Sean. I am enjoying my stay here in Ohio very much, but it is far from him and even farther than LA from the new challenges in China.