070316 I know that I don't know.

Learning Cantonese in five months.

I had another Cantonese lesson today and noticed something about the character of the Chinese people and their language - the Chinese seem to always refer to themselves in the positive. For example – we say “I don’t know” or “I don’t think that I will go” or “ I don’t think that you understand. The Chinese say – “ I know that I don’t know” or “I know that I will not go” or “Can you, [can] not understand?”
The news today reported that the Chinese have passed a law that allows them to own private property. I know that I don’t know how this may effect the economy in Hong Kong, but I know that I know that I want to go – can you, not understand?

Thursday:
What I planned to do: –

· Paint the bedroom.
· Cook a chicken dinner.
· Get a passport picture.
· Drop off a visa document.

What did I do:
I was sort distracted – but I did cook a chicken dinner.
It all started to go awry when I could not remember my brothers birthday that was needed for a visa application. I know that I don’t know why the immigration department of the Chinese ruling party want to send my brother a birthday card. A simple family-three-generations group sheet could have solved that problem but it was easier to call my sister and ask her. While I was on the phone I remembered that I had her violin that she received as a present when I was five. I decided to return it promptly and post it immediately. The violin distracted me from taking all the important the forms with me.

Friday:
What I plan to do:

Paint the bedroom.
Make spaghetti for dinner.
Drop the kids off at ballet.

What I did do:
I was more determined and organised.
· Painted the bedroom.
We are now one step closer to selling the house. The room looks great, like we are in a new house or a hotel room or a new hotel room. I would have never finished the painting if we were not leaving. I always imagined that I would have plenty of time to fix up the place. Cleaning up the house so that it is ready for sale reminds me of renting a flat and the owners are coming over for the six-monthly inspection. Those inspections are so degrading.

· Made spaghetti for dinner.
I made a standard issue camp spaghetti and cooked it all day in a crock pot.

· Dropped the kids off at ballet.
I often get a can of lemonade and a mars bar when I am waiting to pickup the kids from ballet and one day when they came out of the class they saw me with the goods. I stood frozen in my tracks like a rabbit staring into the headlights of a truck while they descended on me asking if they can have some. I bought them all their own and it started a tradition. Today I let them catch me with the goods again. As they climbed into the car I said that it would be rude of me to finish my drink in front of them. They were so polite and said that it doesn’t matter – that is when I pulled out the shopping back with enough for everyone.

As part of divesting ourselves of all worldly goods, I put our steamer trunk on eBay. The steamer trunk needed a story to make it interesting and appealing to a potential buyer. link - http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=015&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=250094280073&rd=1&rd=1