When you don't write anything down for a while, it's either because you are very busy doing many exciting things, or you are doing nothing at all that is worth writing down. For me, it is the former. A few weeks ago, it was my birthday, and for the first time I actually felt different on a day that should've felt just like any other. I think it was because this year, my birthday was not something that happened to me, but rather something that I had to actively bring into the picture. In China, your friends don't plan a party for you, pay for your dinner, decorate things, and celebrate. Rather, the birthday boy or girl pays for absolutely everything, plans the party, and invites everyone to come celebrate with them. For me, it was a little strange to do all this work and pay money for something I didn't even want to do to begin with, but it all ended up being totally worth it. I had all my close friends over for a big dinner and some homemade brownies. As I cleaned up the mess that everyone left in my apartment, I felt moderately annoyed that "this" is what having friends gets you, but then I realized that I was a little bit happy to be able to clean up the mess of others. Since my birthday, I have been busy preparing for some things that may be happening this winter. Firstly, I am trying to plan a concert for KVOX, either in Guiyang or here in Kaili. Second, I want to start a filmmaking club next semester at my school. I feel like my students are in desperate need of some creative outlet for their English, so maybe they will jump at the opportunity to act in some silly short films. Lastly, I've been doing a lot of cooking here in my apartment. Regularly on the menu at Chez Trigg are… pork cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, chicken alfredo, egg sandwiches, French toast, banana pancakes, brownies, and meatballs. Today I will see how well I can put together a pizza and cook it in my small toaster oven. I hope it's good, because I need to stuff my face today. A step on the scale yesterday revealed to me that I'm down about 15 lbs from my normal America weight. I still feel healthy, so maybe I'm just reacting positively to the sudden drop in Oreo consumption from a pack a day to about a pack a week.
