And then there were seven.

Let me start off first by a open congratulations to all who voted, to all who stressed over every little tidbit of this election, and to those (like Meghan :-) who attacked the New York Times website a hundred times an hour yesterday. I commend you. I personally cannot bear to stress like that. Yes, I know that this is a huge decision that will affect our country for years to come. Yes, I am aware that this is the first black president, and for that I am infinitely proud of my country. Yes, I will continue to worry about the president until it has been at least a year and there hasn't been an attack on his life. I worry for him. These are dangerous times. We shall see. That is sort of my motto living in China as of late. We shall see. This happened exactly the way it was supposed to happen. So everyone who is pissing and moaning in the south can understand what those of us who have been pissing and moaning for the past 8 years have had to deal with. You had your turn, you fucked things up with the choice you made. Let us have a try with the choice we've made. I'm ready for change and it looks like the man is going to bring it, whether the rest of the country is ready for it or not.

Second thought. This is not meant to sound racist in the slightest. But black people (normally ya know, the bad ones, ya know my boys in Detroit) are always going on and on about The Man. Well.....The Man is black now too. Wonder how that'll affect thinking as well as that phrase.

Last night we were introduced, via James Jones, to the new teacher who will be taking over Randy's school. This is no offense to Randy but it seems that we've lost one southern gentlemen for another. This one's name is Ryan and he comes from Kentucky. Seems nice, good teeth (although apparently they're fake O.o) He's a returner so it's nice to have someone in the group who's done this whole bit before. His Chinese is also about....ohhhh my level, which weirds me out. At least he likes sports. Gavin will be ecstatic. He's got a good, quick sense of humor. I like that, he'll at least keep me entertained in the dregs.

Tuesday I went out with Ian for supper and then we went to Xin'an park for some roller skating. I feel like Xin'an park is sort of like "Central Park" here, at least for me. It's where I went with Benny on our first "date", it's where I ended up with Katherine and we danced away our troubles about her friend in the hospital, and it's where I re-learned how to roller skate in the little rink in the middle of the park on Tuesday.

I started off shakily, holding his hand nearly the whole time, afraid of falling on my face. I really was like Bambi for the first half hour, and I'm sure I was entertaining to watch. Although as much as I skidded this way and that I did not fall, and even better, I did not take him down with me. We zipped around for a while and had snippets of conversation, most of which I couldn't follow either because I couldn't hear (they were blaring techno music the whole time) or because I was concentrating on not wiping out.

At one point we made it to the balance bar on one side of the rink to rest and have a drink and attempt to learn how to skate backwards from this guy who was really good. I don't know how it happened but I know somehow my feet went forward and my skates went out from under me and I fell right on my ass. Not only that but one of my skates came down hard on my left leg. Now I have a limp on my left side and a few bruises all over. I showed Ian on Wednesday and he fretted all over them, saying that it was his fault. Unless he somehow pushed me, which he did not, it was in no way his fault - but he continues to worry.

Finally let me tell you about the time I nearly got robbed......by a nine-year old.

They tell you to watch out for your stuff because there are people looking to rob you from every angle. They even tell you to look out for the kids because sometimes they'll form gangs and attack you. But see I've been walking over the same damn bridge for nearly two months now and I don't know if it's because I'm foreign, or because I'm scary or because I'm generally double-timing it because I'm late I've normally been left alone by whatever thieves hunt on that bridge.

Yesterday I guess something seemed different about me. I had my school books and was listening to my ipod and just casually walking along the bridge to head back home before we were supposed to have dinner with J.J. and Ryan. Now when I listen to my ipod I keep the "pod" part in a pocket my purse, zipped up, and the headphones strung up to my ears. I had a skirt on, otherwise it would have been in my pockets.

So I'm walking along and I pass these two kids. I notice them off the bat because they have really interesting faces, like grown-up faces. Not the fresh-faced looks of the kids that go to my school. I notice them for another reason, they're not wearing uniforms. Now, in America this might not seem strange, but in China these kids live in their uniforms. They wear them every day all day, even on weekends. Very rarely do I see them in regular clothes and when I do I can hardly recognize them. So already these two kids intrigue me but at the time I think nothing of it, pass them and continue walking. After a few moments I notice that the bridge has become crowded and so things are slowing down. Frustrated I turn my head and notice that the boys are walking somewhat behind me now. My first reaction is to put my hand on the strap of my purse, which is what I do when I'm nervous anywhere in China. Protect your stuff, that's the key. They told us that generally Chinese people are out to steal from you, not harm you. But then I feel guilty about not trusting these kids. So in thought of good faith I let my purse go and just hike up my pace along the bridge, dodging and weaving through the crowd. I check behind me and the little one is still right behind me, I walk faster.

It all happened in a matter of moments. I feel a sensation and turn around. This boy has my ipod in. his. hands. And now it's unplugged from my headphones. The music stopped. I stare at him and say in plain English "Give it to me!" and not waiting for a response, snatch it out of his shaking hands. His face gave me the impression that he was about to piss himself. I watched him for a moment, shoved it back in my purse, turned and made my way down the steps.
Shaking a little myself due to the miniature adrenaline rush of realizing that I just prevented myself from being mugged, albeit from someone who came up to my waist. The most unnerving part was that in the pocket where my ipod was also lay, my phone, my keys, and two 100kuai dollar bills - all of which could have been snatched but he stupidly went for the thing that was attached to me at the time. As soon as he unplugged that thing whether I had felt it or not I would have noticed the lack of music and turned around. Of course he obviously wasn't that bright.

The whole situation, although not threatening still rattles me a little. And yesss I am going to be paying more attention when I walk - which I usually do but for someone reason yesterday I wasn't in the "safety" frame of mine (I blame the sickness). I will move things to another pocket deeper in my purse and keep it in front of me.

Everyone keeps saying I should have beat him upside the head, but I don't think so. Although when I think back it makes me angry enough to want to strike something or someone, at the time I realize that there are people here that are poor enough to attempt to do things like that. So I pity them. If he hadn't been an idiot and tried to steal from me, maybe I would have given the little brats some money to go get something to eat. We'll never know. But if I do see him again I'm gonna box him on the ears, you bet your ass.

Alright that's enough from me. I'm off to blow my nose all over China.