Archive for the 'Holiday' Category

Happy (Chinese) New Year!

Published by
Steve
at February 14, 2010 in China, Culture and Holiday. 0 Comments

Happy New Year everyone!

Even though I’ve lived in China for 9 years, I’ve never actually been in China on THE eve of Chinese New Year.  I can hardly describe what I just experienced!

All I can say is this, China just re-did that famous scene from Crocodile Dundee where he pulls out his huge knife and says “That’s not a knife, THIS is a knife!”  China just said, “Those aren’t fireworks, THESE are fireworks!”

The World’s Longest Piano Recital…

Published by
Steve
at January 30, 2010 in Family, Holiday, Kids, Webel and video. 3 Comments

Yesterday the girl’s pre-school (which is also a music school) had their big “Chinese New Year” performance.  They rented out a theater in one of the fancy buildings downtown, and when we showed up, we knew it was going to be a ‘big deal’.  (You see, they never really tell us – sometimes we show up to these things and it’s one song and at parent teacher’s meeting, other times it’s like yesterday… a full-blown production.)  The theater was huge and when we first arrived, Erica had doubts that they would fill it up.  Well, they did fill it up, and there were even people standing!

Everyone performed, I mean everyone!  Even the school’s staff did the opening act with some kind of swan dance or something.  And then the piano performances started.  Don’t get me wrong, these kids were amazing, some of them only 3 or 4 years old, playing really difficult songs.  The thing was, there were over 75 of them!  That is why the event took almost 4 hours!  (Sorry to our house helper who was babysitting Nate and had to stay late!)

The girls did have their part too.  We had to sit through 4 hours of other stuff to get this, you get to go right to the good stuff!  Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

Published by
Steve
at December 25, 2009 in Family and Holiday. 0 Comments

Merry Christmas everyone!

Family

Happy Mother’s Day!

Published by
Steve
at May 10, 2009 in Family, Holiday and Webel. 0 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day Erica!  You are a GREAT mom and we all appreciate how hard you work every day to take care of us, your family!

We love you!  Elizabeth, Anna, Nate (and Dad)

Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra–ra-ra-ra-ra!

Published by
Steve
at December 25, 2008 in China, Holiday, funny and video. 0 Comments

My absolute favorite part of this Christmas classic… made even more funny by where I am writing this blog post from this Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  Tis-the-season to be Jorry Jolly!

Blog Action Day – October 15th

Published by
Steve
at August 16, 2008 in Blogging, Holiday and thoughts. 2 Comments

Have you ever heard of a “Blog Action Day”?  I’ll admit, it’s new to me.

The idea is for a bunch of people who blog to write a blog post on the same topic on the same day, thus raising awareness.  The upcoming topic is “poverty”.  Here’s a video that talks about it;

 
Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

 

The video says poverty is the issue of “most pressing importance.”  I disagree, but that’s the cool thing about this, I don’t have to agree to participate.  Many voices, many perspectives.

Do you have a blog?  Want to jump in with your two cents?  Go ahead, I’ll be posting too!

 

Happy Birthday America!

Published by
Steve
at July 4, 2008 in Family, Holiday, USA and thoughts. 6 Comments

I\'m Happy!

Anyone else this happy about the 4th?  This is Nate’s first “4th of July” in his young life, and he’s gonna be spending it in Asia with his family and a group of friends from Kansas!  I hope he grows up to love and appreciate the USA like I do.

I think there is something about living abroad that makes you appreciate America even more than you would have if you had never left.  I know it’s certainly true for me.  There are many things (a couple of REALLY BIG ONES) that I have totally come to appreciate about America now that I don’t live there anymore.

As many of you know, I am just coming off of a 10 month stay in America where one of my observations was how much everyone – particularly politicians and journalist and those who listen to politicians and journalist without thinking for themselves – would go on and on about how TERRIBLE things were in America today.  Excuse me, ‘terrible’?!  Really?  Is your perspective really that microscopic that you cannot see beyond $4 gas?  Shame on you.  Go get a passport immediately.  Travel to ANY other country.  Live there (as opposed to being a ‘tourist’ there.)  Then come back and tell me how terrible Americans have it.

OK, I’m getting off my soap-box before I get in trouble (translation = before Erica gets upset with me.)

Happy 4th of July everyone!  Go have a burger, a Dr. Pepper and some yummy ice cream… I’ll be having rice… and I will appreciate every bite.