Happy 4th of July!
Today was nice. I spent most of the day throwing together this DVD for Ben and Xiao Hong. I got pretty much all the editing done today. Wow. That was quick. But thats all I really did.
I bought another harddrive today at the computer store. 160GB and I got it for about $60US. Pretty good I think.
To celebrate 4th of July, I told Nick I was gonna order a Pizza. I ran off to the computer store about 520pm, got my harddrive, and on the way back I forced a motorbike taxi guy to pull over at a little shop that was selling chinese fireworks. Those really loud red bastards that people set off during Chinese New Year and special days.
I walk up to them and they jump out of their chairs from surprise when they see me. They come over to the little table and I point to what I want. "Dou shou qin?" (or whatever the pinyin is for How much cost?" And maybe these folks only spode guangdonghua because all they did was bring out one set of fireworks. I asked again, and they brought out 2 more sets. So i brought out my wallet, shook it and pointed at the fireworks making the international money sign with my right hand. They brougth out 2 more sets. UGH! Then I think they understood. "Lian kwai" (2 kwai). Ok. so i said "wu-ga" (5 units). They gave me five and i paid 10RMB. I prolly got ripped off too. :D pretty cheap.
I hopped back on the motorbike and we headed off for the house. I got in at about 550pm and we ordered a Pizza. Yumi was on her way and she showed up 10 minutes later. So, it was just the three of us. An American, a Canadian, and a Japanese. So, we went up to the roof to set off the fireworks. It was a beautiful day today. Very pretty. Blue skies, not many clouds. Great.
I set off the fireworks. Nick videotaped it all. The chinese don't seem to beleive too much in wicks because there were barely any wicks. That means there isn't much time to get away from these loud thingyies. The first one went off fine. The second one had a longer wick, clearly by accident, and that one went off fine. The thrid...well, i almost blew off my hand. The wick was so short that before I had released the firework set from its intended arch, the wick burnt my index finger and that cause me to waver my hand which led the fireworks to break apart in the air as they were hurtling across the roof. While in the air only about 3 things exploded. The rest didn't get any fire from the initial wick.
So we spent the next 10 minutes trying to use something else for lighting the wick. Nick then lit up a cigarette and handed it to me. I used that. Placed the last couple sets on a stool and set them off. I took the duds and re used them. It was good. We contemplated dropping the last set off the roof, but the streets were too busy. If i had done so, it would have been when no one was around.
We went back down and the pizza came. Yummy.
Tonite I had gong fu practice so I went. My bike's front tire had blown over the weekend so I took a motorbike taxi. As I was getting off, my calf grazed the exhaust pipe and I burned a 2 inch diameter circle just under the calf. Fantastic!
Sifu wasn't there but his daughter was so I practiced with her. It must have been the spices on that pizza because after awhile, I started feeling sick from all the practice. So i had to leave early. I couldn't find a ride home so I walked. As I got close to home, I saw a dog urinating on a tree and then I saw a chinese kid urinating and deficating on the sidewalk. ......hmm....which one has more courtesy?
I got home and worked more on the DVD editing. I also chatted with some friends i haven't talked to in awhile. It was good. Well, goodnite.