I’ve finally put up pictures from my trip back home for the holidays, though a big chunk of the photos that I wanted to upload are not up there, as technical glitches prevented me from getting them from Harsh. Still, I think it captures some of the happier moments of the trip, especially the New Year’s even party at the San Francisco Federal Reserve building where I realized that, even back in the familiar comforts of the United States, I will always be surrounded by drunk, dancing Asian people.


Me and Beijing Homey, Northern Angel

I also put up pictures of my more recent trip to Beijing for Chinese New Year’s, which is really the last pleasant memory I have, since I have been coughing non-stop with a phlegm-infused bout of…something that makes you cough. Beijing was freezing, and a thermal-less me was a mouthful of complaints that even my Nothern Angel couldn’t quash, but I returned to Shanghai in one fairly healthy piece.

I’m not sure then, when and where in Shanghai I contracted this virus/infection, though a part of me blames the marathon Cash Box session I had last Thursday with co-workers, followed by an excursion into the dredges of local Shanghai nightlife. The story of how I ended up at Armanni, the very very local club loaded with “ducks,” began at Cash Box, where a flamboyant male coworker puffed out his chest to the rest of the female attendees by talking about how much he loved to party. Soon thereafter, he had convinced a small crowd of girls who never party to go out and enjoy a night on the town with him and me. This was prefaced by him doing a super-bizarred Irish Riverdance jig in front of the monitor to show us how he rocks the dance floor. I ended up dragging Chace and Lucy with me to the club, which achieved par for the course with other local clubs by playing annoying house music with the same droning, undanceable beat. After waiting far too long for the pole dancers to not show up, we left and I headed back to Chace’s place for some stinky green, with the requisite beer, chips, and pizza to follow.

Two days later I myself coughing up all different colors of gooey stuff. Thankfully, I have wonderful friends like Chace and Lucy, who last night made a trip out to my house to drop off medicine, and then today brought me a sandwich and some soup, since both my maids are still on vacation. It’s nice having true homies who feel sorry enough to take care of you. I’m honestly touched, even though every time I say this to Lucy, she tells me to shut up. Honestly…thanks guys.