Vibrant.(Still) Unrepentant. Badass. Old. Queer

Happy New Year, my sweet sweet kittens. Maybe the start of a new year is not the time for reflecting on years past, but that's what I find myself doing. Ten years ago, I had finished my first semester of graduate school. And, I spent the turn of the millennium with my friend, Anne-Marie, who I had worked with in Japan and who had taken my position at a small junior college on the outskirts of Beijing. Here are a few photos I found from that trip ... Top Left: Mao Ping (Anne-Marie's boyfriend) and I in Tiananmen Square at Midnight(ish) (Neither of us had a watch) Top Right: Anne-Marie, her friend Louise, and I enjoying lunch Bottom Left: Louise, me, Anne-Marie on a traditional street having a traditional snack Bottom Right: Anne-Marie and I play in the snow at the school In 10 years I traveled internationally (China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, England, Scotland); I earned a graduate degree; I became vegetarian; I worked; I got laid off; I found a new job; I made new friends; I re...

A few days after 1999 melted into 2000, I was in the courtyard of Bai Yun Si, the White Cloud Temple, in Beijing with a friend. The temple was near her boyfriend's home, and I was looking for something special, something jade, something I could wear to remember my time in China. The jade disc I bought spoke to me. I probably paid more than I should have, but at less than $10, it was still a bargain. I tied it around my neck and it didn't come off for 7 years. Then, the cord broke. I replaced it, but the new knot would untie itself every few days. I wondered if Someone was trying to tell me Something. Frustrated and scared that I would lose my bi, I stopped wearing it. Last week, DUN bought new cord for me and spoke to a worker at a bead store about the best way to fasten it. Last night, I added a hook and eye clasp to the new cord. I put the bi back on ... and, it's weird, but I felt like a little piece of me had returned. I felt complete. And, then, I remembered a story I ...

Once, while teaching at the small junior college on the outskirts of Beijing, probably between the lessons on "All Governments are Stupid, Not Just Yours" and "This Class is a Free Speech Zone; Tell Me Exactly What You Think and I Promise Not to Send You to Re-Education Camp," one of my students asked me what I thought about Tibet. *alarm bells* "This is a hot button issue," I thought. "My answer has to be diplomatic and sensitive." My students were 5 years old when the Tiananmen Square massacre happened. They were convinced the protesters had guns and fired on the police. For their entire schooling, they had been indoctrinated by their teachers and by the government. I paused, slowly forming the exact words I would say. I took a deep breath and began, "Tibet should be a free and independent country." *moderately controlled uproar* "Quick throw them a bone," I thought. "But you can have Taiwan," I said. *confu...

As some of you may know, about 8 (ack!) years ago, I spent 3 months teaching English at a small private junior college on the outskirts of Beijing. As part of the teaching program, I required each student to keep a journal. They had to write in it at least once a week. I would collect the journals on Friday, read them over the weekend, and return them on Monday morning with corrections. I was always amazed at how well these students (even the ones with limited English) could express themselves. However, every. single. one. consistently made the same two spelling errors. At first, I tried correcting the errors in their entries and hoping they would catch on. They didn't. A more drastic approach was called for. One Monday morning, after handing back their journals. I wrote the following on the blackboard in huge letters: TURE "What is that word," I asked. "TRUE," my students replied in unison. "No. You are wrong. It is TURE. TURE is not a word. Ple...

Sunday, my jade bi (pictured), which I have worn almost continuously [the cord has broken twice] since I bought it in China in 1999, came untied as I was standing in my living room talking to Y. The cord, which broke a few months ago, is too short to re-tie. I don't have any longer lengths, so I am not wearing my bi until I can buy more cord (possibly this weekend). It feels weird not having it around my neck. I need to figure out a way to tie that puppy so it won't come untied or break again. Does anyone have any ideas? Special cord to buy? A different way to tie it? At the party on Saturday, one of the guests noticed and complimented it. Before I could say anything, his drunk and annoying boyfriend jumped in and said, "Oh, yes. That's beautiful glass." I coughed and said (to the non-drunk non-annoying one), "It's actually jade ." Then, I told him about living in China and buying it. Funny that it would fall off the day after I was telling someone ...