I enjoy being back in Toronto.  Sure.. things might work at a slower pace here.. but overall.. it’s a comfortable place to live..Love hanging out with the gang again..  I’m still addicted to grocery shopping.. and books.  Last week I picked up a couple of business suits at Tristan.. and it seems like they cost less than what I was paying for suits before, when I was living in Canada.  (They were surprising made in Canada as well – a real bargain, compared to the Made In China stuff).  And luckily, snow finally came yesterday, but we made it through October and November with none  - a 162 year old record.

But gosh.. what is wrong with cell phone culture here??  I finally committed to a cell phone plan.. after getting my coveted 416 number (yay!)  But it took me 4 days to get my data service working.  After many calls to the Telus help desk, they figured I had a defective SIM card.  Get this though – after a day of service, I see that my data usage is costing me $90!! YIKES, WTF?? As if I wasn’t having enough problems with the $50 (plus tax) I’m already spending per month (which is supposed to include 500MB!)  In Beijing, I was spending the equivalent of approx $28.50 (no tax), for over 1000 minutes.  I was paying 1.5 cents per outgoing text (worldwide).  I can’t remember what the data charges were.. but I would use my phone to go online from time to time, call Canada 2-3 times a month, send something like 200-300 text.. and my average bill was LESS than $50.  I only get 150 mins with my plan now.. while sms is free for me.. I get charged an extra 10cents for international texts.  But $90 in a day for data usage? Called Telus (again), and apparently it “likely” is a billing error, but since I haven’t been charged, they can’t do anything about it. (ya right, next thing you know.. I may owe them a million dollars!)  But I only used 9MB.. so it works out to $10/MB -HUH?? really (according to my paperwork.. it’s $0.05/MB AFTER 500MB, so.. since they don’t specify how much the FREE MB are costing.. maybe it’s true?) :S

Anyway.. hopefully I’ll get that sorted soon.

What kills me too.. is that Bluetooth is disabled here! -well, ok, not quite.  Apparently I can use bluetooth to device (like a headset), and bluetooth computer (which so far, doesn’t work for me), but you CANNOT use Bluetooth phone to Bluetooth phone.  Now really, what is the POINT of having Bluetooth at all? I never really understood what the big hoopla about Bluetooth technology was all about anyway.. but at least I was able to use it in China – to send Lee Hom songs mostly, but also transfer the 600 phone numbers in my old phone, also.. I can send photos to a friend.. it saves in cell charges if I’m sitting with a friend in a restaurant, sometimes he takes a picture.  hmm.. is this what it’s about? the charges?

So.. I guess China Mobile disabling the Wi-Fi function on the iphone is NOT that bad.  The only reason we probably get the function in Canada, is because we don’t get free Wi-fi everywhere like in Asia. hmm.. I say good on China Mobile..  I don’t know why people say China is slow to open up.  Alot of times they’re only doing what the US is doing.

I was freaked out a little bit this week.

On Thursday, Cindy took me out on the “after work circuit ” (really? that’s how you spell circuit? gosh.. i need some spelling lessons, but I digress..)  I met her down at Ki.  I was going to park at BCE Place, but there was special event parking for $20.. so I drove around the block, to park at CCW.. When was Deloitte ever in CCW?? (and btw.. when did they update their logo to blue and GREEN?)  As I opened the window to take a parking ticket, it was eery how the parking lot smelled came back the same.  as I when up the elevator.. I didn’t remember the pay station being where it was.  The Second Cup was was still on the left side of the parking elevator banks, just as it always was.. Everything was so familiar.. but also very unknown.  I passed by The Marche (which I think is Richtree now).. even though it’s exactly the same.. the name’s different.  It was almost like when you have one of those dreams, and things look slightly different.. but you know what it’s supposed to be.

When I worked downtown last time (10 years ago).. I don’t ever remember going to bars down there, so this bar scene is super new for me.  We started at Ki, and then headed to Pravda.. and of course, everybody looked younger than I imagined.. and more people dressed in suits than I would see in Beijing.  But other than that.. the scene could have been a bar in Beijing, or Shanghai. Pravda reminded me a little of the Volar..(I think that’s what the Phillip Starke designed bar is called??)  Seems like my two worlds, though very far apart.. are finally colliding. very very twilight zone – “ish”..

http://www.MeM.com/ContentDisplay.aspx?ID=17337115

Wanted to post some photos.. but can’t figure out how to do it on my new design… backend looks kind of messed up.

here’s a link to a few: http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/rpSlideshows?articleId=USRTXP34Y#a=1

Don’t think I’m missing anything I can’t watch on a channel that ROGERS offers!

I gave somebody a hard time once, because I thought it was imperative that you should really give people a goodbye befitting to the relationship.  Unfortunately, under the circumstances, I don’t think I gave China (or my friends there, for that matter) the proper goodbye.  I packed up my things over the weekend, and didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.  I had a going a party in planning.. but didn’t even get a chance to set a venue before having to leave.

My relationship with China has definitely been a love/hate one over the years.  I can never really decide whether it’s China, or the rest of the world that’s backwards…Having said that, there isn’t enough I can say about my China experience.  Over the years, I’ve met some pretty amazing people in Beijing.  Got to go to some cool concerts and events, attended some great embassy parties, the Olympics (and WAY to many wild going away/bday parties..), and do a lot of other things that my mother would NEVER approve of!

A proper goodbye would have been a week long celebration. Probably a few intimate dinners..- at 1/5 Taverna and Sureno and at Made in China..  Drinks on the patio at Q-bar, and a Thursday night happy hour at Mesh, and of course a last run for mani/pedi/massages.  To my dear friends.. Sorry for skipping out on the celebrations, a blog/email/status update is not really a proper goodbye.  Hopefully I’ll be back in Beijing at least for a last hoopla in the next year or so to make it up to  – I miss you all already.  But at least you will now all have an excuse to visit Canada –my home and native land, true north strong and free..

Love ya, xx

I’ve relocated back to Toronto, as of September 20th.  While I’d been thinking that I’d be done with China soon, the move was kind of a rushed one… as my dad has been diagnosed with the final stages of lung cancer.   After a scare recently, I decided I really needed to be home ASAP.  My apologies for not updating everyone sooner.  Will try to do so soon when things calm down.

Earlier this week, I spent some time Skyping with Rachel.  She’s home this week, because it’s back to school for her son and daughter.  The kids were both incredibly nervous.  Val didn’t want his mom to leave because it was his first day (presumably) at a desk, and he didn’t know any of the other kids.  For Julia.. it was her very first day at preschool.  I never really gave this conversation too much thought.. I mean, it’s pretty normal for both kids and parents to be nervous about first day of school no?  Then.. I noticed a lot of people left status updates related to their kid’s first day and while I don’t remember my first day at school , there is a story my mother used to tell about me.

My first day of school was actually unofficial – I was 3.  At the time, my grandfather used to babysit me and my cousin Anna during the day while our parents were at work.  One day (not sure if it was the first day or not)..when we walked to the school to drop off Anna at kindergarten, I decided I wanted to go to school as well, and snuck into the class.  My poor grandfather was SO worried, and was looking all around for me, only to find me enjoying myself  with the other kids listening to the teacher.  I only became incredibly upset when I was outed and had to go back home!

Seeing everybody’s status updates reminded me of this story… and I have to wonder what the big fuss about?? At the same time..I understand what these kids may go through.  I mean.. I still have nerves starting a new job, working with a client.. or moving onto something new.  It’s gotten me thinking.. what does this attitude at age 3 say about me? and how does it affect me looking at new challenges for me today?  I think I’ve changed a lot since then.. I don’t think I have the same type of 勇气.

Just an inspiring story…

The other day, before going into work I took my memory box out to take a quick flip through it’s contents.  It’s a wooden box that my friends had bought me from The Bombay Company, before I left TO. Now, it’s full, with old greeting cards, photos.. a few souvenirs and press passes.  I picked up a card that was dated June 2002, that my friend Christine had written me, and while I’m sitting here these past few months rethinking my life, something she said really shocked me.  She had written “Don’t ever lose that sweet smile and super outlook on life.  We all need a little Phoebe in our lives”.  Today when I read that line i thought to myself.. “super outlook on life”, God.. when did I EVER have a super outlook on life??  I honestly can’t remember!!   And then going through the rest of my cards, I read everybody’s comments, and I have come to realize, that in living in China, I’ve lost a part of myself.  And really, if I don’t be careful, I may lose ALL of myself! I remember a friend in university getting absolutely PISSED off at me, because she had said I looked at life through rose-coloured glasses, and life wasn’t that simple.  I think in Beijing.. I’ve become accustomed to looking at everything through dust-covered glasses. :S