I'm the ayi!

Hmph! Some anonymous reader posted a comment on my blog the other day... the first comment ever! I ought to be quite pleased (SOMEone is reading this blog!), but this person suggested something so ludicrous. S/he said that John is my ayi and that I should just "fess up!" Can you believe the audacity? :) I mean sure, he does the grocery buying and cooking, but I do the cleaning and household errands (getting things fixed, negotiating deals, setting up utilities). You know, it's not like I'm sitting on my ass over here! Ah well, take it with a grain of salt. We make a pretty darn good match any way you cut it. I love my Bubbey.

So day 2 of Home Alone just wrapped. I spent the morning vacuuming (the dogs are starting to shed again) and doing laundry. Exciting. Fortunately, the day was sunny with a warm breeze so our clothes won't get quite so crunchy. In the afternoon, I got up to speed with US political news. I got so worked up about Bush, i.e. tyrannical asswipe, that I decided I had to get my absentee ballot today. I biked all through town to the US consulate, only to have the guards outside tell me voter info. is only available at the other office-- on Nanjing Xi Rd. And that office closes at 3:30. It was 3:15. What kind of slacker Americans work those banker hours (with a 90 minute lunch break)?

The bike ride wasn't a total waste. After all, it was 70+ degrees outside. On the way home, I stopped by the Shanghai Library-- purportedly the biggest in Asia. I got myself a library card (only 25 yuan for one year) and checked out the west wing. The place was packed with my fellow studious Chinese. I went through the English books section and was pleased to find Tchobangolous' Handbook on Municipal Solid Waste in the environmental section, as well as a huge selection of Lonely Planet travel guides. The newspaper area was pretty comprehensive too, with NY Times, Wash Post, Guardian, Christian Science Monitor, etc. The only drawback was that the most recent papers were dated Feb. 7. Only one month old, right? I'm better off scouring the newswires online.

According to the information map at the library's entrance, there is also an internet room, A/V room, and music room. I'll save that stuff for when John gets back in town.