My China Kanfa.....China on My Mind

I'm back....been back since the weekend.  I've got a few long posts to get out and will get the first one out hopefully(fingers crossed) over the weekend. I'm stunned my views didn't tank.  I really am. I'm also a wee bit pissed off I couldn't meet a few of you over there.  I have a lot on my mind that I want to put down in this blog over the next month or so, some of it rather personal that I'm still debating whether I want to publish or not.  Quick food for thought before I drop offline again: How do you stop an economic machine such as China's, with the capitalist behavior of an America cum 1898? Or how does one control the energy and impulses of a billion Chinese people? I think the Government and People are very much on the same page, regarding the Future of China.  However, I think they would very much disagree on the method of obtaining that Future. Lastly, and most depressing, everything we've learned about how to behave and s...

Very brief and unusual post on my part.  The newest kid to get into Harvard from my subdivision(there have been at least 3) is at my house as I write this. He's the one whose Tiger Mom paid another Chinese Harvard graduate  $20,000 to write his application essay.   Our neighbor is a smart, bright fellow, very polite.  Boy has he grown.  But now he's at my house tutoring my daughter.  I wonder what my daughter thinks of all this? How do her interactions with him change her own mindset towards ethics? How does raising her not become more challenging?   Is this young man smart enough to get into Harvard?  Probably. Does he deserve to get in?  $20,000 says he does.  Will he ever be "exposed" in the real world?  Of course not! The trick is getting in.  I'm just leary of my daughter being exposed to this mentality at such an early age.  I don't want her to be jaded before college even starts!

( Note for those of you out there, I will be back in China for the next 3 weeks.  I will not be posting during this timeframe. However, pls do continue to comment and I will respond.  Sorry!!!!) This past XMAS my parents gave out gift cards to the kids.  Of course the China Inlaws gave a “little bit” as well.  Long time readers will remember my horror at the gifts and cash the China Side bestowed upon their hunxue grandchildren.  And you will equally recall my sheer horror and clear disdain at such. The Chinese very much believe in a “spare the rod and spoil the child” approach.  I find myself spending much of my energy trying to “undo” the lessons and perceived damage China Grandparents heap upon their grandkids.  However, this year my own parents were feeling particularly generous.  Perhaps because they knew we would be visiting. No $20 this year.  Uh oh.  No way at all!   My parents emptied their retirement fun...

So the New Year is here. I have a long trip coming up to China within a week or so.  I will try and get one post I have on my mind out before then.  One is a business post....about doing biz in China.  The other about China Wife of course.  I will let my emotions make the call. Here is a top ten list of some of the nearly 300 posts I've written that are currently on my mind now. I recall I did do a similar post around this time last year or the  year  before and probably the year before that. I may or may not link those to this.  Will see.  I've been writing this blog since 2012.  It's added years to my life.  I have to actually think back and remember WHY I actually started this blog???  It took a moment.  Than I remembered it was all about just giving me peace of mind when dealing with China Wife.  And I like to write and I'm opinionated.   My writing is far more politically correct than my speech...