Freeze the olives, silly.

I find it difficult to down gin or vodka with a dash or wine. Unless it’s really cold. Martinis these days don’t stay cold for long enough. I could order one on the rocks, but the better (and smarter) solution is to freeze the olives.

Idea stolen from easyandelegantlife

Umbrella Etiquette

A Suitable Wardrobe has a list of umbrella etiquette taken from Craiglist some years back. I’ve changed it to suit Shanghai.

1. Please leave your patio umbrellas in storage or attached to said patio table. You egomaniacs do not need to take up a 10 ft radius of dry space.

2. If you choose to ignore Rule #1, please have the common courtesy to raise your patio umbrella when sharing sidewalk space with other umbrella-carriers. Not doing so will result in umbrella fender benders and will block traffic behind you, causing both coffee and people to spill.

3. If wearing a rain parka, hat, and a hood, please leave your umbrella at home. Once again, dry space is limited and you have already established your necessary space.

4. If it is determined that you need an umbrella, please do not then hog overhangs or awnings. Once again, you have a f#!%*~g umbrella, so please reserve limited dry space for the poor shleps who do not.

5. Please, for the love of god, if you have spiky metal points shooting outof your umbrella, use extra caution when cutting people off, etc. or just f#!%*~g buy a new 10kuai umbrella - they are everywhere.

If these rules are not followed, then any fellow Shanghaist has the right to take your umbrella, patio or otherwise, and beat you with it.

*I use Shanghaist and not Shanghainese because Shanghainese is used to refer to people born and bred in Shanghai.

One month away

Image from PostSecret

Dread.

School starts in a couple of weeks, apparently. I thought I’d like it, but it’s gonna take awhile to get used to the intensity again. Especially after so long in Shanghai. </3

(via jrseguin)

This is very cute. But it doesn’t have much shape/structure (I think).

This is Happiness

Looking at her makes me happy. 

(picture stolen from The Sartorialist)

Tech (un)Savy Justices

The first sign was about midway through the argument, when Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. - who is known to write out his opinions in long hand with pen and paper instead of a computer - asked what the difference was “between email and a pager?” *

Other justices’ questions showed that they probably don’t spend a lot of time texting and tweeting away from their iPhones either.

At one point, Justice Anthony Kennedy asked what would happen if a text message was sent to an officer at the same time he was sending one to someone else.

“Does it say: ‘Your call is important to us, and we will get back to you?’” Kennedy asked.

Justice Antonin Scalia wrangled a bit with the idea of a service provider.

“You mean (the text) doesn’t go right to me?” he asked.

Then he asked whether they can be printed out in hard copy.

“Could Quon print these spicy little conversations and send them to his buddies?” Scalia asked.

— http://lawyersusaonline.com/dcdicta/2010/04/19/technical-difficulties-at-the-supreme-court-2/

Vuvuzela

I hate vuvuzelas.

Cherries make me happy. Especially at 24kuai a kilo.

this is so happiness inducing.

(via ladyquestion)