Category Archives: Weather

Day 274 in Beijing: Moon Shot.

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The moon surrounded by power lines.

The moon surrounded by power lines.

Jill and I were walking to a dinner party last night and the sky was brilliantly clear.

It took our breath away.

There are lots of power lines hanging from poles on the sidewalks in Beijing and, every once in a while, you will see power lines touching the ground and have to walk around them.

It is a bit scary but it is also just another sign of how quickly China is developing and moving into the future.

The view of the moon, through the power lines, just seemed like a nice shot and I’m glad it came out well.

Enjoy the peacefulness.

Day 272 in Beijing: Air Quality, Workouts, and Half Marathons.

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Just after my 4.1 mile run. A beautiful day!

Just after my 6.59 kilometer run today. A beautiful day!

Well, I’ve decided it is time to set a new goal.

I’ve achieved being vegetarian since New Year’s Day.

I’ve achieved in not making political statements since New Year’s Day.

I’ve achieved in not making comments about other people’s beliefs since New Year’s Day.

How has this changed my life?

For the better.

Actually, for the best.

I’ve let go of things tend to cause division and upset and have figured out how to connect more deeply with the people that matter to me.

This has also allowed me to let go of the idea that my ideas are more correct, or valid, than others.

I have to listen much more deeply to the person who is speaking without planning what I will say in response to them.

It is acceptance of the place, time and space I am in with them.

This may seem like a strange segue to working out but it does make sense.

The air quality in Beijing is well known around the world for being horrible.

Strangely enough, there are many cities, outside of China, that are much worse but don’t seem to the as much play in the Western Media.  You can decide why this is and who benefits from this style of information.

I’d have to say that it isn’t nearly as bad as the media makes it out to be and, other than about 2 weeks this year, I haven’t really noticed it that much.

I’ve decided, that since the air quality seems reasonably decent, that I want to tackle a half marathon for my goal this year.

After I received my license to be a Marriage and Family Therapist, I decided to do one anxiety provoking event per year to help me understand, and empathize, with my clients that will trust me to help them overcome their anxiety.

My first year I went skydiving.

One year I wore 5 inch high heeled women’s shoes in a store in San Francisco.  This may sound strange but part of the exposure therapy technique I was learning was to do something that many people would find anxiety provoking.  I also asked to try on a dress.  The staff was actually very excited and happy about it and thought it would be cool.  I did live in San Francisco at the time so that may be one of the reasons that the attendants were so open-minded and fun.  By the way, I rocked those 5 inch heels and looked good!  A couple walked in and saw me and said, “You should get taper jeans to work with those shoes.  It would make you look even better.”  I consider it a rather impressive debut of me and my 5 inch heels.

That being said, I am amazed by anyone that can wear heels for an extended time.  I wore them for 5 minutes and I have a very slight hint of what they would do to my back, knees, and feet.

But I digress.

Last year I went swimming with sharks in the ocean.

I also moved to China without any real planning or idea of what I was getting into.

As Robert Frost wrote, “The best way out is always through.”

I tend to agree since the anxiety that we feel is actually just a lie our mind tells us and when we face it, it tends to disappear and be easily defeated.

I know this because I test it on myself and on my clients.

They always defeat it and are able to prove the little lies in their minds to be false.

I’ve decided that I will do a half marathon this year in Beijing to test myself.

This may not be as anxiety provoking as the other events I’ve tried but it is up there in regards to feeling like it will be difficult, how will I do, and will I do it well enough for my own ego.

I tend to be a pretty hard judge of myself and my workouts and I like to see progress.

This has actually been a downfall of mine in the past and that is part of the change I plan to introduce to my workouts.

I will continue to lift 3 days a week and run 3 days a week.

I’ve looked at decent half marathon plans and will download an app to help me keep track of them on my phone.

Planning is very important in reaching goals and I will do just that.

So, I’ll keep posting updates of my workouts and maybe pictures of how my body has changed in the upcoming months.

Meanwhile, I just ran 6.59 kilometers in 38 minutes this morning and it felt great.

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Day 271 in Beijing: Sky Scenes.

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The Northern Lights from Scotland.

The Northern Lights from Scotland.

So, the airpocalypse seems to have ended as of today.

The air quality is quite nice again and I actually ran 6.6 kilometers today in Beijing and it was wonderful.

It is pretty amazing how different a few days can be in Beijing.

My mom, Judy Tuwaletstiwa, is on the other side of the world right now.

She’s been an artist and writer basically all of her life and she is spending time in the very northern part of Scotland because she and her husband, Philip, are writing a novel.

She has worked with Dan and Lani McGregor, who own Bullseye Glass Company and they were nice enough to let her stay at their place there.

They are incredibly kind people and if you are ever interested in learning how to blow glass, be sure to check them out.  They have locations in Portland, Emeryville, New York and Scotland.

Since the airpocalypse has ended, the sunrises have been quite nice in Beijing.

I managed to get a few shot of it today.

However, as nice as they were, they were blown away by my mom’s pictures of the Northern Lights over Scotland.

Supposedly this has been the best Northern Lights show in the last 20 years.

Some of the pictures are a bit blurry since she was holding the camera, without a tripod, and that made it difficult to keep the camera steady.

What interests me is that one is caused by the environment and nature while the other is, at least partially, caused by the destruction of the environment.

In any case, both events are quite beautiful.

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Day 269 in Beijing: Snowpeople!

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That is one very angular snowman.

That is one very angular snowman.

As an escape from the airpocalypse, Jill and I looked at some of the cute pictures we had taken a while back.

It had finally snowed in Beijing and we were walking around enjoying the sights.

People had built some snowpeople and we thought they were quite cute.

We also thought a view of the courtyard and one of the cutest dogs we’ve ever seen might be worth posting.

There is just something so peaceful and serene about snow.

It makes the pollution just a bit easier to handle because it reminds us that, like snow, it will all melt away sooner or later.

I just hope it is sooner.

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Day 252 in Beijing: Snow Day!

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Jill and me by our apartment complex.

Jill and me by our apartment complex.

In contrast to my last post in Malaysia, we are back in Beijing and snow fell pretty much all day today.

It was wonderful.

So far it is has been, according to almost everyone we know, one of the mildest winters in Beijing in many, many, many years.

We have rarely had days where it is below freezing and much of the canals and lakes are only partially frozen.

As much as I love a mild winter, I’d like a bit of snow since I’ve lived most my life in places where snow is unlikely to fall.

This morning, I got my wish!

Beijing is supposed to end up with about 1 inch of snow today and then it will go back to sunny and clear for the rest of the week.

These are pictures from our apartment near downtown Sanlitun which is the most popular hangout area for expatriates living in Beijing and wanting to shop, eat and hang out with friends.

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Day 230 in Beijing: Menara Taming Sari.

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The Melaka Malay Sultanate Water Wheel.

The Melaka Malay Sultanate Water Wheel.

Jill, our friend Dipesh, who flew down from San Francisco and I started to check out the historic city of Melaka in Malaysia.

We had been in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Singapore but this was our first time see the sights of Melaka.

Melaka used to be a massive trading town and there were, at one time, 84 different languages spoken in the ports since traders from all over the world would come and do business here.

We’d done a bit of sightseeing already and wanted to see what Melaka would look like from the sky.

So, we paid our ringgit and hopped in the Menara Taming Sari right when they opened for the day at 10 A.M.

We were about the only people in it and it was quiet, beautiful and moving.

The ride took about 7 minutes and we were able to see many of the sights of Melaka and off into the Straits of Melaka which is the busiest waterway for transport in the world.

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Day 217 in Beijing: Swimming With Sharks.

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The water.

The water.

When I received my license to be a Marriage and Family Therapist about 4 years ago, I went skydiving to celebrate.

I had made a vow that I would do something that terrifies me every year because I believe in overcoming irrational fears.

I love doing exposure therapy with clients who have anxiety and letting them realize that their anxiety is a lie.  There truly is nothing to fear except their mind’s perception of reality.

So, I feel it is only fair for me to do something terrifying, to prove that I can overcome my fears, if I’m going to ask them to overcome theirs.

Mark one more goal of my bucket list.

I swam with sharks today.

Yep, I actually swam with living sharks.

I wasn’t in a cage.

They weren’t in a cage.

We were at Payar Palau near Langkawi, Malaysia.

The longest shark was probably about 4 feet long.

The smallest about 1.5 feet long.

They were incredibly beautiful and I can’t believe anyone would want to harm or eat this magnificent creatures.

Sadly, many people do.

A little back story about the trip:

Jill and I had wanted to do some snorkeling on this trip but hadn’t found the right place or time.  A dear friend, Kean, who is from Malaysia, recommended we do this trip and go to this little island.

We can not thank him enough for the recommendation!

We took a ferry for 2 hours to get to the island and jumped off onto the docking station. We then were told the rules and regulations and put on our life vests and snorkeling gear.

We hopped in the water and were blown away by how many fish there were in the bay.  Also the color of the fish were incredible.

We didn’t take many pictures of the fish because we didn’t have a waterproof camera but here is the link to the for Palau Payar.

And here is a link to the wikipedia page that shows the Blacktip Reef Sharks.

We swam around for about 3 hours, had lunch, and then swam some more.  We also did the glass bottom boat and just lounged around for a bit.

If you notice, the water is green.   That is because it is “winter” here (and about 90 degrees with 70% humidity) and the algae grows in the water and turns it from blue to green.   If we were here during the summer, the water would be a perfect blue.

 

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Day 209 in Beijing: I Scream. You Scream. We ALL Scream for Ice Cream!

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I love the different colors of hijabs and ice cream.

I love the different colors of hijabs and ice cream.

Kuala Lumpur is hot and humid.

Even during Christmas.

Even during the winter.

I have to say I love it.

I’ll take hot and humid over cold and windy any day.

So, in the middle of winter here, people eat a lot of ice cream.

Jill and I were visiting the Muzium Negara (National Museum) and we saw these women all getting some ice cream and laughing, smiling and having a wonderful time.

I snapped a picture, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, but it didn’t work out.

The woman in the back noticed me and threw up the universal “peace sign.”  It was very cute.

By the way, there is a choice to have ice cream in a cone or in bread.  The girls all suggested I have mine in the bread.  I tried it and the ice cream vendor gave me green tea bread.  As you can see, the bread is actually green.  It was slightly flavored and quite yummy. Definitely worth a try if you ever come to Malaysia.

I then asked them if I could take a picture of all of them and they laughed and agreed.

In China, people often ask to take pictures with us when we are out and about traveling.

We find it rather hilarious and absurd because we would never think of going up to someone, in America, and saying, “Hi, we don’t know you but can we take a picture with you?”  We always agree and do our best to promote cross cultural relationships that will help people see us as fun loving and generous with our time.  It may not seem like much to take a picture with someone but during the holidays we are sometime asked 10-15 times a day and it can actually get a bit tiring because when you take one picture, people will line up and wait for their turn.  You end up having to run away from the crowds which is pretty comical in a way.

However, we find ourselves taking pictures of people here in Malaysia and they don’t seem to mind.  They seem to have the same sense of humor about being photographed here as we do in China.

And, with that, I wish you a Happy New Year’s Eve and lots of love, joy and ice cream in the New Year!

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Day 203 in Beijing: The War on Christmas?

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If you watch certain American media outlets, or read newspapers by them, there seems to be a number of people worried about a hypothetical “War on Christmas” back home.

I’m utterly confused how one can have a war on a holiday that is made up but hat is just me.

Think about it: A dude that flies around in a sleigh with a bunch of reindeer and circumnavigates the entire Earth in less than 24 hours.  This includes people who don’t believe in Santa Claus, or have never herad of him, and he still gives them gifts.

That sounds like a pretty cool guy that no one would want to go to war with.  He also doesn’t sound like anyone that would go to war, either.

One of the issues that often comes up by people who believe that there is a “War on Christmas” is that other religions are trying to take away Christmas as a holiday and make it their own or destroy it.

The fact is I live in Beijing, China and am vacationing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, right now.

According to “The War on Christmas” folk, these nations should hate Santa Claus and everything that he represents.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

China is supposedly a Communist nation that doesn’t believe in religion.  This isn’t really true because of Buddhism but we will ignore that point for now.

China spends so much money and time on Christmas that it all people need to do is visit and they will lose all fears of a war breaking out anywhere.  The people here LOVE Christmas and everything about it.  It is probably more like Christmas here than it is back in the USA.  The Chinese have more fun and less anxiety about Christmas because they love buying things and giving gifts.

Maybe we all could learn how to respect the Christmas spirit and give a little more to the needy?

In Kuala Lumpur, as you can see by the pictures, there are Christmas trees everywhere. Remember, it is about 90 degrees with 90% humidity so it isn’t like Santa is going to be flying in and landing in the snow here anytime soon.

If anything, I’d worry he’d get heat stroke and die with his big heavy coat.

Listen up, folks:  The Commies in China, and the Muslims in Malaysia, love Christmas and Santa Claus.  So, if you believe in Santa, and Christmas, relax a little bit and feel safe that nobody here wants a war.  Let alone, a War on Christmas.

I think that all people want is a little peace, love and holiday cheer.

Isn’t that what the Christmas spirit is supposed to be about anyway?

If you agree that it is, please donate to a charity or help people in need.

I have a friend that would be such a person.

Her name is Mary Resenbeck and she is stuck in an isolation ward in a hospital in San Diego.  She has diverticulitis and is having a very difficult time.

She has developed C-Diff because of the antibiotics and can not even hold, or breastfeed, her newborn 3 month old baby, Gracie.

She and her husband, Doug, have 5 children and neither of them can work at this point since Doug is taking care of the children himself.  Gracie is staying with family members since she is so young.

They have insurance but it will not cover everything they need, let alone the basic necessities that they have during this time and the months to come.

Mary may be in the hospital for months to come, as she heals, and then needs surgery to fix the ruptures in her colon and reattach it.  This is no small problem and not a quick fix.

This is the reality of life.  People need help and, if we have the means, we can choose to help them.

I donated this morning and hope you will also.

Please follow this link and help her out.  It explains her whole story and is touching and powerful that what I posted here.

Please make it a Merry Christmas for Mary, Doug and the rest of her family.

http://www.gofundme.com/5vpj88

 

Day 198 in Beijing: Bye Bye Beijing!

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Jill and I have left Beijing!

Well, we’ve left for a vacation, not for good, so don’t worry Beijingers!

We took off at 3:30 AM on Friday morning (Beijing time) and arrived at 10 AM Friday morning (Kuala Lumpur time, which is the same as Beijing time) and have already settled in here in Kuala Lumpur.

It was overcast when we arrived, which is a bit comical since the weather in Beijing is supposed to be terrible during the winter, but so far has been fantastic, and we are now in the tropics, where it should be perfect.  Yes, that was quite possibly the longest run on sentence, in history, but I’m on vacation, so forgive me please.  Editing, after going for a swim in the pool, is not my strong point.

We were picked up by Alan, who runs the Airbnb apartment where we are staying at, and dropped everything off at the apartment.  After doing that, he took us on a tour of the neighborhood and there are so many amazing restaurants and bars we new we were in the right place.  There is about 20 different types of restaurants serving different cuisines that we wish we were staying longer and know we will be back after being here for only 4 hours.  Alan has to be the nicest guy ever and a wonderful host!

After the tour, we went to lunch at Saravanaa Bhavan and then Jill and I took a very nice long nap.

We just woke, went for a swim, and are now going to check out the restaurants and bars right by our apartment.

An absolutely perfect way to start a weekend, and a long vacation.

I hope you all are having as nice of a Friday as we are having!