How come you sound like a Chinese person?

I think all the kids have said that to me at some point when I have to clear my throat. Apparently lots of Chinese people are allergic to citric acid, msg, some specific kind of mold that I don't recall, as well as being fructose and lactose intolerant! Small world, eh? I added two pictures to the ones from the 18th, nothing too special. And there are two more days of pictures (hopefully). I finally had to switch memory cards on my camera today. Today we had a crazy weird problem with the car, so that was interesting. Again, I'm not sure how much time I have so I will have to let the pictures tell the story. I will have many double happy tales to tell upon return to my fine day home. Sorry, I'm getting into bizarre translation fun-time. My brother (I assume) asked about the thousand-year-old eggs (or century eggs). Did I write about them at all? I don't remember. Mrs. Zhang bought some (six, I think). I dutifully finished one so if anyone wants one there are some left. It tasted like fish and eggs and mold. I don't know what else to say. I forced myself to finish it so as not to be rude and spit it out, but Annie said after the fact that I wouldn't have had to finish it.

I found out today from Lea (Yang, Mark's former secretary-now she has a better position) that since we are Pigs (we were both born in 1971, mostly-you could have been born in 1972 up until the Chinese New Year and still be a pig) this year is a golden pig year for us. Someone else had said it would be bad luck. She also asked me why I wasn't married, but it was in a less perjorative way. She said when a guy is cool looking like me, they usually figure that they are too picky, or something along those lines. I do have high standards and I always tell girls that they should understand how much I think of them when I actually like them and deem them worthy.

Anyway, there is a lot to report but Mark just made me a margherita (am I even spelling that right) and I think they get stronger every day!

So today, among other things we went to a local buddhist temple. A lot of people were there, I think because of the chinese new year. It was cool, I got to sit in the building (are they all temples? I don't know! Shrines?) where they were chanting right in the same chairs as the monks! Annie was too shy to do it.