“Sorry, we’re not able to process all of our phone calls at this time. Please try later. Goodbye.” That auto response message from Verizon sure boosts my confidence. I mean, if Verizon can’t handle their own calls, how can they handle mine? I made the mistake of signing a two year contract with Verizon for a free android phone back […]
Questions I’d love to ask Verizon if I could get a hold of a Human.
Kunming Antique Furniture Market
The best thing about the antique/used furniture market in Kunming is that you can find about anything there. The hardest thing is finding it. It’s on the north side, just on the edge of the city where new construction butts up to real life pages of national geographic. You’ll make a right on a small “Am-I-on-the-right-street?” kinda street. ” […]
Cheers to a pint.
Tears came to my Dad’s eyes as he answered the phone that Saturday morning. Only one person would be calling at that time. “Hello, Mr. Sinsabaugh,” the perky voice started, “How would you like a new kidney today?” “Very much, “the words got stuck by the lump in his throat. ” That would be better than watching the game.” As I happily […]
Smell Advisor: Top Smells of China
OK. I’ve created a few reviews for Trip Advisor, letting folks know the real deal about Kunming, China. It’s a lot more fun than writing updates on FB. But these travel websites always have the same categories: cool places to eat, visit and sleep. But hey–you are missing out on the real Chinese experience: the smells. So here are […]
Zhunk Food
It’s Dragon Day festival in China, another holiday that revolves around food. Lots of it. These are called zhongzi (pronounced jong-gee) a pyramid shaped package of rice and sweet fruit filling–at least I think it’s fruit–with a few good size seeds. You can crack a tooth on one of them if you’re not careful. You can’t buy zhongi from a […]
After School Snacks
Chinese teens are no different than American teens: as soon as school lets out, they reach for a snack. This lady had a Chinese burrito. An eggy “tortilla” packed with spices, chips and a Chinese hotdog. I’d rather have my fingernails removed than eat a Chinese hot dog. The ping pong team was still practicing… but the girls were at […]
Hangouts
I miss some of my hang outs in Chicago’s Uptown. Everybody’s Coffee The lobby of Friendly Towers. Dollop. But I do have a few hangouts in Kunming’s BeiChen area. Here are some of my stomping grounds on the flip side. This is one of my favorite coffee shops in the BeiChen Fortune Shopping Mall. They have coffee, waffles and […]
Cute Háizi
China makes a lot of things…but the cutest thing they make are kids. Here are some snips of some children or hái zi (pronounced hide-zha) that caught my eye this week. Girl playing with her smart phone at a Muslim Goat Hot Pot restaurant. A pint size sherpa climbing Snow Mountain, Yunnan, China. Bundled up Bus Baby in itsy bitsy glasses. David likes to […]
Hong Kong
It was over thirty years ago, the term after I broke my back skydiving, and the height of the now forgotten Falkland Island Crisis. My life was in a bit of a crisis, too. I took a break from MSU and studied for a term in London, being mindful to call my parents collect every Sunday assure them I was […]
Go fly a Fengzheng
You think it would be easy. I brought my kite from the USA to China, which sounds as ludicrous as Anheuser Busch importing their own rice to this country to make Budweiser beer. In China, fengzheng flying (pronounced phone-jen) is a serious hobby, where yeyes, (wise grandfathers) rule the skies and teach youngsters the ropes. Or in my case, give advice on how to untangle a three […]