Rainy Shanghai

Shanghai is more familiar every time I come here; things just don't seem to catch my eye the way they used to. I wonder if this is because I am more comfortable here, or because the city continues to Westernize itself?

This time, the vendors aren't constantly shouting at us and grabbing our arms to come into their stores; they wait until we express an interest. This is VERY different from before. More shopkeepers speak English. More foreigners are everywhere, and they know how to bargain - throwing up their hands and walking out of the stores in mock disgust. There was even a Chinese man dressed in full Stanford regalia waiting for Shanghai dumplings at Xin Tian Di - on the day of The Big Game.

The air quality seems slightly better, though the rains have brought a disgusting sheen to the streets...at least until the scum is temporarily washed away. The city is also preparing for the International Expo in 2010, so there are posters showing what not to do on the streets and sidewalks: spitting, leaving construction materials, dumping dirty water and garbage out the windows, smoking in non-smoking areas...Mom wants to steal one of the signs because she thinks it's hysterical.

We're supposed to go for a walking tour near the Bund today with mom's architecture friend, but I've been having stomach problems since last night and am not convinced it's the best idea. Staying in doesn't hold much appeal either, unfortunately.

Musings

It's hot in the Bay Area. The weather conditions that are literally burning up Southern California are making for a balmy November weekend in NoCal. Some of my Red Cross friends have headed south to help with the fires - many thanks to them. My NoCal friends, meanwhile, are breaking out their summer clothes. Good thing K and I weren't fooled into switching to our flannel winter sheets or...damn.

Went to see "Boris Gudonov" at the SF Opera last night, starring Sam Ramey (no, not the horror film director) in the title role. I must be genetically conditioned to like bass voices because he had me when he started to sing. Amazingly, Sam is 66 years old. He's had an incredible career. The article in the program discussed the affects of aging on his voice, and how this might be the last time he sings the role of "Boris". I'm grateful I got to see him, and that I've seen him in a few roles over the years at SFOp. Some of his YouTube performances (including one as a toreador who loves the letter "L" on Sesame Street) are thrilling, if not priceless. I'm officially a fan.



So, is it shallow of me to enjoy opera so much in the middle of a meteoric economic crash, in a period when our presidency is undergoing seismic change (thank goodness), and when my work just laid off some longtime colleagues on Friday? Fiscally, these opera tickets are something Dad and I invested in at the start of the year. From a human standpoint, it's nice to have something to enjoy - especially my Dad's company as we approach celebrating his 70th birthday this December. I prefer to think that human experience is a collection of large and small events, positive and negative, and it's best to take it all in with equanimity, an open mind, and gratitude. I am grateful for my friends, my family, and opportunities to support and value them, whether that's by spending an evening together at the opera, or writing them a recommendation on LinkedIn.