Chipmunk Cheeks & Lots of Baking

I got my wisdom teeth pulled out four days ago and only now do I feel comfortable venturing out into the public. For the past few days, my face has resembled that of a chipmunk with two large walnuts in its mouth.  No, I take that back, because that description is eliciting a rather cute pleasing image which really isn’t the image I am trying to convey. How about this: an overweight Russian woman that got clobbered in the face by her abusive husband (I was wearing a bandana around the house for the past few days and my brother commented that I looked like a Babushka lady; not so cute now huh). Anyway, due to my unfortunate predicament, I was in the house practically for all of the past 4 days. So what did I do? I baked and cooked, a lot. I made dumplings, spring rolls, bread, biscotti, and dinner for my family. I also made 3 friendship bracelets, comprehensively researched grad school options, and got lots and lots of sleep. I feel pretty well rested…but also pretty darn restless.

Ridiculous news items:

• Mainland China is trying to enforce mandatory “national education” in all HK public schools.
• The Japanese Prime Minister resigned. He is the 6th PM to resign in the last 5 years. Japan, get some backbone.
• Gaddafi seems to have had a little school boy crush for Condoleeza Rice, but a picture scrap book? Really? That was asking to be found and made a mockery of.
• HKU students held a vigil with candles yesterday at the University of HK campus to protest the excessive and unwarranted police action during the visit by Vice-Premier Li Keqiang. What is ridiculous about this news item? Not the fact that the students are standing up for their rights. Not the fact that the event expresses how threatened we Hong Kong-ers feel about the encroaching Mainland authority. What is ridiculous is that this is so deja vu. Every single time a mainland authority comes to pay a visit, a incident like this takes place where Hong Kongers feel their rights have been slighted. Mainland authority and Hong Kong authority should know better by now and should act with more caution and sensitivity when mainland officials visit, especially if they are visiting a university campus.
• Last but not least, the NK government says it wants to resume six-party talks regarding nuclear disarmament…My ass.