Venial Sin

Another thing: is the fact that people seem to be completely stunned by the combination of a shaved head and visible chest-hair a good thing or a bad thing? Because I seem to recall reading somewhere that it’s supposed to freak out the East Asians, but by the same token, some of the looks I’ve been getting from the waiters at dinner have been kind of…well, salacious. Some of these guys aren’t bad at all. I mean, not like I’ve [...]

OK, why did no one tell me that English is practically unheard of in Beijing? And how do I gracefully ditch my co-worker to go out in the city? Who knew there were hotties in Beijing?

There's something really frustrating about feeling (and being) helpless.  Normally, detaching myself from issues and looking at them from a distance has been easy, but as a wise man once pointed out to me, there's only so much one can manage before things come flooding over, crashing down, imploding, or otherwise lose their integrity.  I suppose in this case the primary reason for my disconnect is my aunt and her health, but I feel like there's not much else to [...]

So, am I overestimating my own larcenous abilities by planning to steal a piece of the Great Wall of China for myself when I go to Beijing for work?

*ahem ahem* Sin's Tips for Perfect Skin (Because While All Else May Be Issue-Ridden, Good Skin is Very Important)  L'Oreal lies.  So do Clinique and Neutrogena.  All you really need is soap, aftershave (if you do in fact, shave with a non-electric razor), and occasionally a decent sunscreen-cum-moisturiser (being brown, I am of course immune to the rays of the sun). Avoid the incessant offers of Toblerone-minis, Kit-Kat minis and all other forms of miniaturised candy-bar from your co-workers, even [...]