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

Glad to finally be checking this box off.    I’ve spoken abt it before, and now I feel the time is right to put my thoughts on this subject to paper.    India is a vast country.   Old. Ancient.   Over a billion people.    They worship The Cow and when you die, send you to the Ganges River.     It is a deeply fragmented society.   Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist.   Indeed, India is believed to have introduced Buddhism to China.   They give shelter to the Dalai Lama.   India is a mess.   Anyway you slice, dice, dissect…examine…study it.     Chinese look at India and say to themselves, “this is what we do not wish to become.”    It is a country still terrorized by an undeclared war with Pakistan, and terrorism still lurks about. Now….I have never been to India.    And…..I have no wish to go to India, unless it’s a direct flight to the Taj Mahal.   India is not my cup...

A society needs to reflect its values. It cannot stray far away from them.   Unfortunately, nearly all societies do just that, with neither remorse nor hint of guilt.   We have no nostalgia for the “old days”.    But what if a society has publicly pledged to do just that?   Not to reflect, but to publicize…honor, and venerate?    That is, to venerate a cultural moral standard. For all to see. Yeah, I’m talking about China. And I’m talking about Confucius. First a simple disclaimer.   No country is purrrrfeccct.   Right?   I get it.   (But when you fly in my corn field, you are fair game for my shotgun.)     Confucianism is making a comeback in the Heavenly  Kingdom.   Someone say “calculated”.     That may be….but I would prefer to think it is overdue.   Confucianism as a guide to live one’s “life” is a high bar for any individual.   But to elevate it to a national ...

Yeah, I’ve said some things.    Haven’t played the “role” I was supposed to play.   Never been great adhering to others cultural expectations.   Being the “submissive” one with the handcuffs just hasn’t been my style.  I’ve recently been handed “the news” the inlaws have scheduled a “stop over”.   This one will be for a mere 5 months, and right during football season.   Fuck.    The Master of the House(that’s me) is about to lose his keys to the kingdom.   Any plans I may have had of watching a game on the sofa, like a normal, regular dude are gone.    Alas My Days will be spent in the basement.   Weight loss once again will ensue.   I will be the first one done with dinner(and any other group activities for that matter).    I lost 10 pounds during their 6 month sojourn in my house last year.    But I’ve matured.   And with age comes regret.   Sometimes.   Here is a quic...