My high school World History teacher somehow burned into my memory the observance of the Ides of March with the story of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC (or BCE, Before the Common Era, as the politically sensitive term puts it today).  He was stabbed 23 times.  Must have been quite a scene.  After 50 years, I still think of it every year. After three days of sunny, spring-like weather with ... Read More

Dealing With Health Issues Away From Home I have just spent the last week dealing with a bout of gout, of all things.  Yes, Gout!  It is a form of arthritis and is an extremely painful affliction.  It most often settles in the joint of the big toe, which it did for me on my left foot.  It rendered me nearly unable to walk for about three days, and able to walk with a great deal of pain for the next ... Read More

I packed up all of my workout gear--both gym clothes and swimming gear--and set off to use my new health club membership for the first time.  My new workout venue is the Hangzhou Oakwook Health Club located in the Oakwood Residence, which is two towers of upscale condos with a Mercedes Benz dealership next door.  Anyone who lives in Oakwood Residence is certainly beyond my economic class.  However, health ... Read More

Char has Mondays off but teaches 17 classes Tuesday through Friday. BoomerTrekker Note:  The following story is by Char Koppi about her first week teaching at Hangzhou Foreign Languages School. By Charleen Koppi Idiom:  A piece of cake Definition:  Something that can be accomplished easily. Slang: Bummer Definition: a bad deal, a terrible experience Every week I plan to start my classes ... Read More

Story update.  I've updated the story about the apartment, so if you looked at it when I first posted it, you may want to revisit it; I've added information you may find interesting. Weather. Today (Monday) is overcast again with temps in the mid-40s, but we had three beautiful sunny days in a row prior to that. Shopping. We took our first major shopping trip on Sunday afternoon.  As soon as I ... Read More

Our apartment is owned by the Hangzhou Foreign Languages School.  It's small, about 750 to 800 square feet.  It's in one building of several in the apartment complex.  Judging by the responses to Char's introductory slide show in class, in which she shows pictures of our house, we are guessing that most Chinese live in an apartment much like this.  Of course, this one does not get updated and ... Read More

Char was up at 5:30 this morning getting ready to take the bus to school.  Staff meetings today with Mr. Shen, Director of Foreign Affairs, and Bao were on the agenda.  She stepped out into a rainy, overcast morning of about 35° that saw a few snow flakes falling.  I had just finished work and was getting ready for bed. Char teaches 17 classes a week.  Her class schedule works well with mine in that ... Read More