Where did the semester go?

I don't know.... the novelty of blogging wore off and I got an xbox 360. I am back in action though....putting my thoughts to type and getting crazy blogger style.


I did complete my goal of going to 5 concerts this semester. Live music is awesome. I saw a wide range of musical styles and enjoyed every show. I would have to say though that the best performance was John Butler Trio. Find their music, this man can Jam!

aight...all for now. I just had to update so pat can add a link for my blog on is blog site. I will use this...even if its just for me!

Who is ready to leave...

I am!!!! Don't get me wrong, I've had a great time and the people have been great, but I am ready to move on. I am excited to explore some of Thailand and Australia. I really think 3 weeks is a bit long in Suzhou, without being more connected to the city either through a school or job. But we are constrained time wise with the class so the walk to class, go to class, go to lunch, have group work in the afternoon and then repeat over and over again has gotten old. I'm ready to see more stuff and I think the "familiarity breeds contempt" line could never be more true....I definitely am over the commercial nature of Shi Qian Street and the walk back and forth from our hotel to the law school. There is so much else to see. That is why I enjoyed the past weekend so much, cause we got out there and saw some stuff off the beaten path. Its too bad that I won't get to go west into the naturally beautiful part of China, but that will be another trip and I definitely am going to go look for some nature in Australia.....and some Fresh Air!!!!....haha.

As I finish this I laugh because the first pregnant woman I have seen in China just came into the coffee shop......crazy.

Winding down in China...

Here is me in front of MingXiao Ling on Purple Mountain. The Ming Tombs were built at the end of the 1300s and it is quite an impressive use of space and many of the structures and original layout of the grounds remains relatively unchanged. As the program is winding down, our work is cranking up. I had a great weekend visiting two Chinese cities. The ancient capital of Nanjing, and the sprawling metropolis of Shanghai. It was quite an adventurous weekend. Peter, Jason, and I walked and walked and walked some more in 102 degree weather. But it was totally worth it.

This picture is the East Water Pass in Nanjing (1200 AD), it originally stood almost 50 feet. What is still standing is around 35-40 feet high. Although you dont get the true massiveness of it from this picture. Pictures from Shanghai are on Jason's camera, will post later....forgot to charge the battery...doh.

Master of the Nets Garden

Suzhou is famous for its "Gardens" and Master of the Nets is one of the four famous gardens and is "noted for its use of Space" meaning that it has some pretty awesome rooms in around a small lake. We saw several traditional art forms last night. Here are some pictures from the Garden which was originally constructed under the Song Dynasty in 1140 AD. I'm going to go back during the day to get some better pictures of the actual use of rocks, plants, water, and timber.

Intro to Chinese Dating...

You may laugh, and you may not believe me. But dating in China is fraught with both cliche's and interesting for its extremely simple nature. From the info we have gleaned there seem to be a few standards or goals for dating and almost all the students we have met have a girlfriend or boyfriend. The aspirations are as such...

1. Find boyfriend or girlfriend (pretty simple considering A. the number of people and B. the fact that just "talking" or going out on dates pretty much assures gf or bf status).

2. Buy couple's t-shirts. Shirts that are similar style but slightly different for the guys and girls.

3. Take photo booth photo in couples t-shirt. Carry said pictures in wallet or locket from that point forward.

4. Go to an Amusement Park together.

5. Hold hands

6. Kiss


Pretty simple.....haha. Granted these are just generalizations...although it seemed to be pretty common among almost all of the students we have met. Crazy

Here are some pictures from our group quest on Saturday. I don't know why my text is underlined. Bloggins seems to be more difficult each day. Haha. THe first picture is in front of the Bingling Library. The second picture is in front of the east gate of Suzhou University. My team members from left to right in the top picture Zhang Zhu, Xu Qing, Me, and Gan Xue. I have a video I will try and post as well. Cheers

Where is the third world country?

China?.....or Long Island, where my car was flooded by a flash flood. Fun times.....i am tired of typing so I will just post some pictures.....note the difference between traditional Suzhou and the Modern Industrial Park, which is a China-Singapore joint venture. There are hundreds of western style aparment buildings and business developments.

Just ridin the bus to Auchun....

Last night I went with my Chinese roommate John (Zhao Xin) and one of his friend's Eldora to the equivalent of Chinese Wal-Mart, Auchun....which they told me was a French supermarket. We took the local bus four stops which was quite an experience. Driving in China is kind of every person for themselves and there are no real rules anyone has to follow. But our bus only had to slam on the brakes one time, and I was told, this was not a bad journey....The bus ride was only one yuan, so about 13 cents.

I can never complain about crowded stores in America again. Literally thousands of people were in this place and I'm only mad that I did not have my camera with me to document it. I am sure I will return there and take pictures of the awe inspiring masses. Literally, there was everything you could possibly want there so I bought some ritz crackers, an umbrella, oreos, a chinese pop cd, and some school supplies, all for about 12 dollars.

When we left the store I offered my two chinese hosts a ride back to the hotel in a taxi. They were a little reticent because of the cost, but I told them that it would be my gift for them taking me to the store and helping me find everything. The 2.8 kilometer ride cost 10 yuan or just about $1.30. The same ride would have been around 10-15 dollars in Manhattan, so it is quite shocking the difference in price and what is considered expensive.

I have been enjoying the class so far, today we actually start the real teamwork, we have been doing a comparative review the last two days. Our team is made up of 5 chinese students, 2 Americans, and a Danish student. We are representing a German Company. I think we have some advantages because the other American speaks Chinese fairly well, so we have a link to get over language or semantic road blocks.

All for now....

Welcome to Shanghai

Boy, The Ritz Carlton sure knows how to do it right!!! Only one day here and already enjoying myself. Chinese TV is fun. Weather has been pretty overcast so far, but hopefully it will clear up soon. This is the view outside of my hotel room, and that is not even a major section in Shanghai....I leave you with this.....A view of the ridiculous money situation and amazing buying power of the US Dollar in China....Sweet.

So it begins....

The trip is officially underway..... Getting ready to board the plane at Newark International.....hopefully there will be pictures of China once I get things running over there!

Everyone have a great weekend!

see you when I get back from the far east...

Briton

wow

Time flies....and i am not using this blog....so much so that vance is probably going to take me off his redirect soon. which would be sad....cause my blog will be exciting...maybe......hopefully.


I am leaving for China in less than 3 weeks...and the new digital camera is ready to go. So that means that i should have pictures and posts from the Orient right? we'll see. Don't give up on me just yet. haha

hope everyone (which means all 4 of you) that reads this is doing well. Summer is going to be over before you know it.......

Lame

I hate the dolphins......a trained monkey could run a better draft.


i also hate that i have not blogged better. this summer it is going to be my most favorite thing to do.

Yankees blow....

Finals = No Fun

Bulls are ready to sweep!!!

Rain Sucks

Suck Town, its going to be nice all week, but then just in time for the weekend of spring break - we're going to throw rain all over the northeast. BOOOO!

at least it gives me an excuse to stay in the casino longer.

Spring Break....

Is right around the corner and trying to firm up some plans.... I think it is going to look like some combination of Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and Boston. Should be a lot of fun.... and have gotten suprisingly good deals on hotels. Very Nice.


Recent DVD adventures....all standbys but forgot how much I enjoyed these movies last fall.

Casino Royale, Borat, The Departed

I hope that the movies coming out in a few weeks match up to these. Went to the theater the other day and there was nothing worth seeing except for 300 which I had already been to. March is boring!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

All things green and wonderful, beer in the morning and four leaf clovers all around. I had big plans for accomplishing some work on the paper today, but the NCAA tourney has negated that. As it stands we had a swell time last night for Pat's 25th birthday. It was muy classy.


Tip of the day,

Jon Favreau movies, I have been in the dark about these comedic masterpieces. He's got great delivery and plays a good straight man to Vince Vaughn's craziness. Three suggestions if you are keen enough to keep up with a lil offbeat but true to life humor.

Made, Love and Sex, and the cult classic Swingers:

"I don't want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone's *really* hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you're not sure whether or not you like yet. You're not sure where he's coming from. Okay? You're a bad man. You're a bad man, Mikey. You're a bad man, bad man."

Trent: I'm gonna find me two waitresses here and I'm gonna pull me a Fredo.
Mike: Yeah, well they're all skanks.
Trent: What are talking about? Look at all the beautiful babies here.
Mike: The beautiful babies don't work the midnights-to-six on a Wednesday. This is the skank shift.
Trent: Look at all the beautiful honeys here.

Wow

Over a week already...I'm dissapointing myself in my ability to blog. Time sure does go by fast, maybe if I could do it as a full time job? Then I would be on top of it. A couple of things....

1. I have the rest of my NY list, but I'm looking for some video/audio to go along with it, may not happen, but I'm trying to make the blog more entertaining

2. I got into Cornell's Summer Institute in Suzhou, China so I ship out in July... I'm very excited.

3. I saw 300 last night at the midnight showing. It was very good, I was suprised given how dark and sinister Sin City was, this didn't seem to match that intensity. But I thought it was a very good, fun movie with some great battle scenes.

4. Friends are coming to town over the next couple of weeks, so that will be a busy time and a lot of fun.

Hopefully friends are enjoying this blog, but even if not, I know that Vance reads, and an audience of 1 is all you need to get things started.....ha

New York List

This is a list of things that you are or are not likely to hear in NYC and the surrounding area. Some are actual phrases, others are labels and terms. Needless to say this list is not exhaustive, and there may be some really good ones I left off, but this is what comes to mind at the present moment. So here is the list 10 - 6...

10. Fugget about it/ Fuggitaboutit - While I have never actually heard this used since I have been here, it is part of NY lore in movies, tv shows, history, and even on the signs when you are leaving Brooklyn. No list would be complete without it.
Most Likely to hear it: If you frequent heavily Italian sections of Brooklyn or you have friends that pretend to be a badass like Tony Soprano.

9. I didn't want to drive all the way out to Long Island - While I understand politically Long Island refers to the eastern 4/5ths of the Island comprising Nassau and Suffolk counties, you sound like a tool when you are coming from Queens 15 minutes away and make it sound like you crossed the Sarengeti to get there. Newsflash, Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island.
Most Likely to hear it: From a resident of Queens or Brooklyn who do not realize they have more in common with "Long Island" then they ever will with Manhattan.

8. I'm from da Bronx - Suprisingly, I have heard this a lot and I think it stems from the overall toughness associated with one who is "From the Bronx" and yet still alive and in front of you. If you really are from the Bronx, you have history.
Most Likely to hear it: At a New York College or University, when attending a Yankee's game (located in the Bronx), from someone who has gained success but wants to pay homage to their roots.

7. 'You a Knicks Fan?', "When they're Good." - You may recognize this line from the movie Hitch. I have to say, they hit the nail right on the head with this one, as everyone in the NY metro area is a Knicks fan, (you are kidding yourself if you say Nets). But New Yorkers aren't afraid to sit at the Garden and not cheer if the team is blowing a game to the Bobcats. While they have been better at home this season, you haven't seen a true dis until you see a sold out arena completely silent in utter disgust. It is surreal. Way worse than boobirds or not showing up to the game at all.
Most Likely to hear it: NYC sports bars, actually at a Knicks game

6. B & T Crowd - Derogatory term applied by Manhattanites to people who use bridges or tunnels to come into their beloved Manhattan. Often referring to the crowd that frequents a particular bar, club, or restaurant. Sometimes I think it is worse to be a B & T than a tourist.
Most Likely to hear it: Used by someone who is really from some place else, like Omaha, NE but thinks they are super chic and superior because they have a dingy apt. on the 6th floor of a building with no elevator in the Village. Buddy, you are no more manhattan than I am.
Even so I always say I'm from an Island in Florida and not Long Island, sounds exotic.

As I sit in Debtor Creditor....

I learn that my student loans are not dischargeable under bankruptcy law......Awesome!

I am going to go ahead and chalk Friday night up as a wonderfully irresponsible night out on the town. I don't know if it was the over excitement that comes along with a Will Hoge concert (who was awesome) @ the Bowery. Or the fact that we we were out for Kenny's birthday @ a place called American Trash (classy no?). The short of it is that by the end of the night I was dancing and taking tequila shots with a bride -to-be and her sister (very nice). Finally I bid adieu to Manhattan and left behind a little piece of me in the form of my cell phone and gloves before crashing in my bed at 530 am.

What happened next was truly amazing. On Saturday I was so mad I lost my phone until I checked my email and this was waiting for me from Adam.

"Sparkman: You left your phone in a cab last night. I know because the cab driver called me to get your address and he is going to drop it in the mail tonight. You must have been one drunk son of a bitch last night. Of course, I envy you. I'll catch you later."

And they say new yorkers aren't nice. Apologies to Adam and Libby who got calls from the over zealous cabbie who called each of them at 5 am. In order to make up for my Friday night I spent Saturday by going to the Astronaut Farmer (a very fine movie btw) and later playing Scategories (sans alcohol).

Sunday was the completion of my National Championship collage, it looks pretty good. That is all for now......

So it has come to this...

I think mostly this blog will be a cathartic exercise. Through this adventure I will be able to post tidbits about my thoughts, interests, and life. Ultimately, I will refrain from the blogging mistake of publishing opinions, information, or facts that could be detrimental to my professional or private life. So it's Briton Lite. Just because your speech is protected, it doesn't mean it can't hurt you.

The title of the blog comes from a Lawyer's phrase, which basically means, for the sake of argument. So most likely one would use it in a brief or memo in the following way, "Assuming Arguendo the facts are correct as you contend, you lose and I win on this legal premise". How effective this device is, no one really knows, but we use it because it makes us feel good as lawyers to bring up a legal point without actually admitting anything.

Finally, I leave you with one of the best music videos of all time. Cherish it for its classically 80s style, approach, and simplicity. Whenever I need to be pumped up, Journey gets me there!

Separate Ways

The One, The Only

Journey