Me… Me… Me!

I was talking to my girlfriend the other day and she said, “You know, I was reading your blog, and you must really be full of yourself.  I mean, all you do is write about nothing.  Who cares what some guy in China does?”

I guess she didn’t read the graphic disclaimer at the top of every page.  At any rate, she’s right, this is a page of nothing except my daily life.  The thing is, most people will never live in another country, certainly not one as different from their own as Beijing.  In days past people would keep a journal to remind them of their daily thoughts and events, so that years later they could jog their memories by reading it.  This blog is nothing more than a journal of my experiences here.  The main differences are that it’s posted for the pubic not only to read but to comment on, and it will be archived forever somewhere on the internet.  So, three generations from now, one of my great, great grandchildren could write a report about the years his grandfather spent in Beijing.

Let me give you an example.  My great great great great grandfather came from Germantown, PA to Kelsey, CA as part of the gold rush.  The fastest way to get from the east coast to the west was to sail to Panama, walk across the area where the canal now sits, then sail north to San Francisco.  There were, as you can imagine, hordes of banditos laying in wait to rob and/or kill the goldrushers, so they were all armed for protection.  My ancestor carried a four-barrel Derringer.  It’s been passed down to the first born son in every generation since then, and it will go to my firstborn as well.  I treasure that gun as a link from my past.

But, ultimately, it’s a hunk of metal.  What I’d love to have is a journal he kept on his travels.  What he ate that day, who he saw, what obstacles he had to overcome, that sort of thing.  All of that is lost to the sands of time.  But this blog will not be.

My experiences in Beijing will be located in some cache file somewhere in the bowels of the internet for the rest of eternity.  My great great great great grandchildren are going to have a hell of a lot more of an understanding of who and what I am than I ever did of my ancestor.

This is, in the literal sense, journalism.  I may not be documenting anything for a news organization, but I am writing and keeping and self-publishing an interactive journal for all to enjoy.

And that, my friends, is pretty fucking cool.  Those of you who will never undertake a move such as this will be able to live vicariously through me.  And isn’t that kinda cool in a way?  You get an insider’s look at Beijing from a guy who knows nothing about the city.  You learn things as I learn about them.  It’s like we’re on this trip together.

Welcome to the information age.

Those of you who will never undertake a move such as this will be able to live vicariously through me.  And isn’t that kinda cool in a way?

After the PBR post, which I shared with many, you’ve developed quite a following in my neck of the woods for a blog about nothing but you and China. Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t comment to me about what you are doing.

Makes sense to me. And much more interesting than the blog I used to keep about obnoxious hippies and things I hate (aka, everything).

Lee, first of all, thanks for great response on previous post about taxes and cost of living in Bejing.

And re:  this post, that is precisely why I am reading your blog--because of the first person perspective I am getting on living in China.

Sure, this may not exactly be de Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_de_Tocqueville

But it’s still pretty damn interesting.

Anyway, no disrespect to your girlfriend, but if I want to read about macro issues in China, I’ll pick up a newspaper.

The really interesting shit (like how much a hooker costs in Bejing)?  I’ll be visiting this site to find that out.

Cheers,

-Pappy

Same goes for me; it’s a fascinating insight from an average Joe about a land as alien as anything we’ll ever see.  So far, all the people I have told about this site are hooked.  Keep it up!

I find this perspective far more interesting than anything that might get put on TV about China

Truth is that I find this new blog a lot more interesting than RTLC.  No offense to anyone there, but I’ve heard pretty much all of the arguments and counterarguments there a million times over.  I don’t need to see them for a million and first time.  However, I rarely get the chance to read the first hand experience of a guy who is not all that different from me in many ways as he lives in a place I know I will never live.

Plus, I have a thing about reading descriptions of food and I really enjoy hearing about the different places you go to eat and what the typical chinese person eats. 

I think this new blog is a fascinating glimpse into something that most of us will never experience.  I hope you DO continue to write about yourself.

It’s the everyday aspect of living there as a foreigner that I find cool.  It’s like traveling there yourself in a manner, only without the worries over drinking the water.

Of course, nearly all blogs are full of themselves in some manner, which is why most of them have a readership of 4 people, including the blogger.

Good news; I have your ancestor’s journal. Here is one of the entries:

My God this place is a shithole. It’s hot and humid and mosquitoes and flies get into everything. Unfortunately, no banditos showed up to shoot and take my mind of this misery.

In a more serious vein, my grandfather was an observer in a balloon in World War I. When I was a teenager, I found his journal among my dad’s books. It was one of the most boring things I’ve ever read--well tried to read, I couldn’t get through it (and my father confirmed that it didn’t get any more exciting.)

Lee, You are doing a great job here, i regularly refer to you and your experiences to my friends and co-workers.

Seeing China though your eyes is a interesting experience....
but we need more pictures, more video..

i have also clued in a few Chinese friends into your blog, maybe the might post something.

Lee,

I think it’s the coolest thing that you started this blog.  Not only have I enjoyed your commentary for the better part of a decade, I now get to experience that same wit and wisdom in the context of living in China.  I studied global politics in college, and one of my areas of focus was China, due to its obvious future potential in world affairs.  I studied some Chinese as well (not much...you try taking Russian and Chinese at the same time).  I also had an intern this past summer who is a Beijing native.  As you can see, I have a lot of connections to and personal interest in China, and your perspectives and insight into daily living there are the highlights of my daily reading.

A few nights ago I had this beautiful dream that I was in China. I’m sure it was cuz of this blog…

lee… Your doing a great job! I love your site.

you not only have a girlfriend, but one who is remaining loyal while you stay in China?

Yeah, I bet she’s not ugly.

Yeah, I bet she’s not ugly.

Ugly’s got nothing to do with it, my cock is just THAT big.

I like reading these day to day things. I’m learning far more about China than I would from some damn travel guide.

I couldn’t agree more with BB’s comment-well said. I’ve also sent a few friends this way who have really enjoyed reading your nefarious Chinese exploits-keep it up!

Best justification for blogging, ever.