Some Memories

Samson plays my electric guitar. I just bought it that day, with a little extra Yuan. It is a Fender Squire Bullet Stratocaster. It cost me about $150.00 USD.

That is well worth the benefit of playing some real blues licks on a Strat! Samson and my tutoring students enjoy playing with my gadgets and instruments when they come over. It was used, but I saw that it had been used very lightly, probably by a music student who did not take to the guitar. It still had the plastic film on the pick guard. Also, it has some really nice pickups, and a lot of tonal variety. I adjusted the lower bridge, put new strings on, adjusted the pickup height, and cleaned it up a little, and now it sounds great!

Some summer cherries. They're everywhere. Two weeks ago, all of the teachers went on a field trip to a cherry farm. I went home with a small bushel of cherries, and that was enough for then. I am getting a craving for more cherries though. They are very inexpensive, and they taste delicious. Each cherry is very large, about an inch in diameter!

Frank plays with my FM/Am radio. It was about $5 USD, and I can pick up very many radio stations with it. Nice to have for a day at the park, or just a relaxing evening at home.

These are some berries for sale. You can find berry vendors all over town right now. Kinda' nice, and convenient too.

I caught Frank off guard, because each time I tried to take a photo, he would hide behind his bag or a pillow. I suppose he doesn't like the way he looks in photos, but this is a good one, so here it is.

A summer day on the road near my apartment, and the scenery and sky is clear and soft. I just randomly snapped these photos. Yantai is very photogenic. It never looks like this in person for some reason?

I like the photo, because the contrast is there between old Chinese manufactured vehicle and the modern athletics building. Plus, there is a concrete truck in the lower right corner!

A bee in a rose. I am told this is not a rose, but rather a Chinese version of a rose. To this I responded, a rose by any other name is still a rose. This one happens to have a bee pollinating it.

Fellow Laoshi and I at Jackie's, discussing politics, teaching methods, the universe, and eating jalapeno burgers and salsa, with coca cola and a nice atmosphere. Jaskie's is the place to meet and greet in English in Yantai.

My student and friend Dora, and her friend, whose name I cannot remember. Dora is very nice to me, but she is very shy sometimes. At other times she is as gregarious as a little schoolgirl, which I suppose makes sense. We three walked around campus this day, and they took me to all the best relaxing spots and we sat and talked about America, China, school, and food.

This is my favorite relaxing spot, which Dora introduced me to. It is a good place to take an acoustic guitar and play some sonnets to the sun, the plants, and man-made architecture.

The view from my industrial looking balcony, which is charming really. Just concrete, tile, and a view. That is my brick, which was there when I moved in. I want to use it someday. I think I will also find a Banzai tree to put out here, so I can sculpt it.