Respunding to Ms. Bai

There was a blue sky in Beijing today. I've never seen a completely clear sky in this city in any of the four times I've visited. And today was the day I chose to bring my umbrella, since it said it would rain and I didn't want a repeat of yesterday.

I woke up exhausted. Pilled, Showered, Clothed, Breakfast'd, and left.

My cabby went down the Third Ring Road again, instead of Dong Da Qiao, so I had to direct him to the back entrance of the office building.

I started the day finishing the email I was drafting yesterday to Margaret Bai at WellTrend. I know I've been fairly explicit about my feelings towards this job, but to avoid bridge burning (but to lob a few molotovs at the same time), this is the gem I punned to her in response (a response worthy of http://www.puntiful.com/):



"Ms. Bai:

"My apologies for the very tardy response.

"Thank you for your offer to work on Saturday. However, I will be taking a trip--off to Shanghai, I'm tired of enduring such heats as Beijing has - this weekend, for the Expo. Assuch, I am forced by these circumstances to use less time working with you. I apologize.

"So my absence is not wasted, might I recommend a friend who might be interested? She is a student with Brandeis University and I think, when it comes to her Chinese speaking skills, her g race is far beyond me. She is also very knowledeable about American s campuses. Her name is Alex Luo and her email address is [Email Address Excerpted].

"If you happen to be having another fair next Saturday, I'd be happy to go to hellp. Just let me know.

"Thank you again for the offer.

"Best regards,

"Marshall"



Highlights of this pun-filled backhanded email include words and phrases such as:
"Rip-off;"
"I'm tired of enduring such cheats as Beijing has;"
"Useless time working with you;"
"My absence is not wasted;"
"Race is far beyond me;" and
"Scam," with a few more choice spelling mistakes thrown in.

I BCC'd Alex on the email. Now I feel better about taking a job I earned through the racial genetic lottery for a company I can't approve of. I probably flew off the handle a little bit with the wording there... but what's done is done. I did get a response, too -- It was simply a sad crying red-face because I wasn't free, and then the simple sentence "I know her."

Evonne and I went out to lunch from 1:30-2:30.

I was getting ready to leave at 5:48, finishing up my last stuff, when Xiaochen dropped a memo on my lap to review. I went through it, got it back to him, got my taxi and meal from last night comped by the company, got out of work and trekked to the bus station (taxi changeover) by 6:30.

The bus came 9 minutes later. Arrived at hostel at 7:07. By 7:45 I had changed and dropped off my laundry and was on my way to Houhai, one of the top three nightlife areas in Beijing (another being Sanlitun where I am), to meet Alex, Lixuan, and Milton, who were out to dinner.

Took the 823 bus to 北海北门 (Beihai Bei Men) and walked north to 后海 (Houhai).

I found Lixuan, Alex, Milton, Veronica, Shanshan, and a few more at a restaurant in Houhai. They were finishing up, so I only sat for a few minutes before we left.

Two of us left after dinner, but all those named above stayed, and we got 20 600ml beers between the seven of us and rented a boat to go out on the lake for 200yuan for an hour.

We were on the lake between 9 and 10; we landed on the island in the middle for a bit, despite the sign saying no entry. We rounded the lake a few times, downed a bunch of the beer, and played some fun games.

We got off the boat at 10 and wandered through Houhai for a bit, bonding and finishing our beers.

At 11 or so the group wanted to go to Propaganda, but I have work tomorrow, so I hopped in the first cab I could find back to Sanlitun. I told them I'd go out if they went to the Village, but they insisted - and of course later I received this cute little text from Shanshan:

"Marshall your right we shouldn't go to propaganda veronica's drunk. we're going back home. wish you a good night. sleep with angels." Point for Marshall for the good call.

Got back a few minutes past midnight and got caught up talking with Paul, who's returned for a few days from his several away from Beijing (though I won't see him since I'll be in Shanghai). Through him I met Simon, from the Netherlands, and when Jonas showed up he brought two Koreans, a guy named Steffan (which he pronounces Shteffan) and a girl named Jeeyoung. The six of us talked for a while but I had to call it a night when Paul broke out the pistachios.

I did some quick packing when I went upstairs and realized I'm going to Shanghai tomorrow, and I fell asleep around 2.