Oh, right...

So remember that bit about China maybe possibly sort of kind of beginning to feel the economic crisis thing? Yeah, that's definitely happening. Yours truly has been busy not posting blog entries over the past few weeks because I've been pulling a James Woods and trying to experience what it means firsthand to be affected by an economic crisis. Notes:

1) Having no money in your wallet or everyday-use bank account is bad.

2) Bok choy soup and rice is a surprisingly tasty meal, now that I've had enough practice making it this month.

3) Taking the bus is less of an adventure when you have to do it. On the other hand, it's now "effortlessly" green to do so.

4) Seriously, having no cash on hand is awful.

Just before embarking on this research, I was blessed enough to have a visitor here in Shanghai. This made for a really good opportunity to be a tourist. Too often, I think, we don't take the time to actually check out the stuff around us. Just thinking about the list of places I haven't been in New York is a headache, let alone the places I haven't been here in Shanghai. So, even though this last week might have been partial inspiration for my "research," it was probably worth it. Skyscrapers, gardens, temples, pedestrian streets, and a super cool "museum" definitely helped me close 2008 on a high note.

2009, however, has already been interesting. Work is picking up. Imminently, I'll be taking on a whole new batch of responsibilities as the company plans to do some "spring festival cleaning". (Chinese New Year is called the Spring Festival here. So, it's actually a pretty good joke.) Plus, we have our big new service launching, TalkOnline. I've also made my way onto Chinese TV already, and as soon as I get a copy of the video, you can be sure you'll find it here.

Also, according to China Daily, the government sponsored English language newspaper, "China is about to enter a peak time for mass incidents..." That means riots and protests. So, that's exciting, right?

Anyway, 2009 is here and I'm planning to make it a good one. Now, who's going to join me?

Maps! (or "Where I Live")

The above is a map I've made using Google Earth and Macromedia Fireworks. The subject is the neighborhood in which I'll live beginning tomorrow, when I sign the lease on my new Shanghai apartment. As you can see, it's been conveniently color coded in order to introduce those unfamilar with it. The top of the map is more or less due north.

First, I've taken to coloring the streets. The light, whitened roads are the actual streets in the area. YanAn Rd, running east to west up top, is one of the most important roads in the city. It is multi-tiered, with the upper level comparable to a freeway. Running north to south on the left is DingXi Rd, a street I lived on during my trip last year. It's a busy street, full of shops and restaurants. On the bottom of the map, running east to west, is XinHua Rd. This is the street on which I worked last year, in the building that has been colored yellow. The street is full of old villas and other luxurious things, and is also one of the greenest streets in Shanghai.

Between YanAn Rd. and XinHua Rd. is FaHuaZhen Rd.. This is the street on which I'll technically be living. I say technically, because I'm actually living off an "alley". The green colored roads are more of these "allies". Essentially, they are sidestreets that are numbered like buildings and are then subnumbered. The pink building, the one I will be living in, is then still technically located on FaHuaZhen Lu.

The building I'll be living in is part of a small community of buildings, as is often the case with apartment complexes here. My apartment is on the third floor, which I appreciate since I don't really care for heights. I'm not scared of them and I don't get vertigo: I'm just easy with prolonged exposure to heights. This made living on the twenty-first floor last summer not so much fun. Luckily, because the apartment is a little away from the main streets (being on an alley- remember?) the low placement won't mean loud noise.

I'm pretty happy with the placement of the apartment. Ideally, I'd be situated further north on DingXi Rd., but those apartments tend to be more expensive. Further north is a major park and a key subway station that links three different subway lines. This apartment's location is still really nice, though. It's still close to the subway, and it's a short taxi ride away from most of the good nightclubs and bars. There is a bus that stops on YanAn Rd. which goes directly to my office.

Tomorrow, I begin the moving and decorating. I'm sure that will also mark the first time I've ever wished I had access to HGTV.