Writer's blog

A common definition of a writer's block is that the they lose their ability to write due to lack of inspiration or creativity. Me? Sometimes, I just don't write. Period. I should, though, and I should do it more often. Writing clears my thoughts and puts them in a more organized form to be dissected and analyzed. Or whatever.

I participated in an English speech contest here, hoping to actually achieve something here. In the first round (a kind of qualifying one), the texts were given. Or rather, you randomly select one of five or six different texts. Of course it was just my luck to get a overly sugary sweet speech about love. Actually, now that I think of it in retrospect, it seemed more bittersweet after all. Needless to say, I didn't make it past even the first round. Will blame it on the topic.

If you have followed my tweets (Twitter updates, same as my Facebook status messages), you know that some student here committed suicide last week. She (yes, a girl) apparently wasn't afraid of the heights. They say in the school's BBS (discussion board) that the motive is either the high pressure due to exams or problems in love life, both of which are quite plausible explanations.

I guess that just about ruins my earlier plans to talk about how I felt that the Chinese people were so much happier than people in Finland, for example. But it was just an initial illusion I had, being in ignorant bliss and "tourist mode" myself. The more I got to know people here, the more I learn about the stuff beneath the surface and the more I realize how alike all the people in the world are. How similar problems they are all dealing with. It also acted as a harsh reminder that I couldn't escape my own demons by just going to someplace new. The dust has officially settled. Oh, and the nights here are officially colder than in Helsinki.

You may also have noticed from my tweets that I finally saw both Wall*E, the Pixar movie I was eagerly anticipating since this spring, and the Dark Knight, the "second" batman flick (which I didn't quite anticipate, but was just curious about). Out of these two I have to admit that I was soooo disappointed at Wall*E. Maybe all those praising reviews I read had me set ludicrously high expectations for it. A movie about robots, for gods sake! To me, they didn't feel human at all. I even liked Ratatouille better. The Dark Knight, however, was a pleasant surprise. Maybe also because I didn't expect so much of it. It was gloomer than I thought, which is good for a superhero movie. I mean, the Iron Man was just too happy hippy.

Other than the news, my life is still going on the same. School and work still come and go, stuff at the tv station is still interesting as ever, and I still miss u guys at home. Laters...

Another TWiT (this week in Tsinghua)... is in the can

Actually, there are still some homework left to be done in the weekend. But other than that, the week's been quite chilled both in workload and in temperature :/

Last Sunday I went to have a lunch with the TV station crew, outside campus. And you know the saying what goes around, comes around? Well, didn't I just write about me terminating the relationship with the Man upstairs. But as I followed the crew into the fray of what is known as the Beijingese traffic (ok I'm overly dramatic again, gonna tone it down a bit...), cold shivers began to run through my back. Haven't I been here before? Yes! This ONE time of the week when the Christian folk is meeting, we're going to have a lunch - in the same restaurant!

But, I think it went well. I sat at such an angle that the others couldn't recognize me, and I'm pretty sure they won't take a second look at what had been a bunch of college kids having craploads fun. Just check the picture on the right if you don't believe me :P TAKE THAT, DAD (I know you aren't reading but if you had, that's for you), I'm having my own fun! Ah, just gotta love these people.

Even Mel* came there. But turns out she's already got a boyfriend... mmh that explains a thing or two. Anyways, it seems that the whole station is full of gossiping or then it's just the Chinese people being different, but like the main topic through the lunch was who is whose bf/gf and who's got a crush on whom and I got to teach them how to say 'I love you' in Finnish... yay. For some reason, they forgot to invite Cindy there. I guess she's still unofficially in the ranks? Huh, beats me. And beat me she did, at the game pool, to which I took her playing this week. But hey, exciting news, she's single! Although according to her own words, she warms slowly... so don't get your hopes high!

Meanwhile, the midterm time draws near but apparently I still don't have exams for at least a week. I'm not even paying that much attention to school lol. These courses are quite easy to pass, and the professors give lots of points just for trying. One thing is annoying, though, and I already briefly touched that subject. It's the cold! In Finland, at least the apartments and rooms are well insulated but here, I'm freezing my ass off. There is a central heating, but it's not on yet (government controlled stuff apparently), so I'll just have to shiver more for at least a week or so.

Anyway, lots of love to the folks back at home, hope you haven't forgotten about me and keep on commenting! :)

*) If you didn't get it, please refer a few posts back. The names are in the title, can't really miss it.