Haaaa-ppy New Year!

Just like that, its 2006. A clean sheet of paper to start afresh on. If only I could draw a comparison between that paper and the newly fallen snow here in Jinan, but alas the snow is overwhelmingly dirty. And smelly. It looks white and innocent enough from the window, but once you venture out into the apparent winter wonderland you encounter a murky slush. The previously described dirty, oily sidewalks are covered in a dirty oily sludge impossible to avoid.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: "If only I had a high pressure hose."

My Dad has this hose that hooks up to a pump and the water surges out at around a million PSI---give or take. It can cut through your leg like a million tiny daggers if you step into it's furious path. Sometimes I have these fantasies of giving Jinan's streets, sidewalks, allies and storefronts a nice hardy pressure wash. I could get some suds and really go to town...

Last night, we hit the town for New Year's Eve. We went to a club called The Pyramid owned by two brothers from Iran.
I spent my 1999 New Years Eve sleeping on a bridge in Sydney next to my Mom and brother while they celebrated with millions of raucous and disorderly Australians at the Harbour. Ever since, I have not been able to keep my eyes open to see in a new year. I call it the Y2K jinx. Last night, I asked Josh to provide some serious enouragment to keep me awake if I were to show signs of fatigue--like curling up in a corner of the dancefloor and using my (fluffy down) jacket as a pillow.
And guess what? I made it. After we counted down with a very worldly bunch, we looked at each other and I said, "Ready?" Josh said "Yup." We grabbed our coats and were in a taxi not three minutes into the new year.

No napping, its almost midnight!!