a word

My, I'm feeling extra bloggy today...my second entry on the same day!  Well, I had meant to put this into my first blog, but failed to do so, thus, here I go again...

One of the things that bugs me the most about China - I wonder if it's like this everywhere, or just in Shanghai and Beijing - where I have the most experience - is the hyper-customer service people hit you with when you walk into a store.  Whether it be a restaurant, a Starbuck's, a clothing store, or whatever, it seems that needlessly, at least 4-5 people immediately try to help you.  They pepper you with questions, suggestions, practically put stuff into your hands - and all I wanted was a simple cup of coffee.

It might take 3 people to work up your coffee order for you.  It's unreal.  There is good customer service and then there is overzealousness that is flat out annoying.

My theory is that it goes back to the fact that there are simply way too many people in this nation (or that come to the big cities for work opportunities) and not enough jobs.  It's takes 3 people to do the job of 1, but the powers that be here, let it happen.  Starbucks here are a 180 from ones in New York City, where in some, you couldn't get someone to take your order if you were standing there naked with your hair on fire.

I caught a movie yesterday called Love In Translation about a French woman who falls in love with a local Chinese migrant worker.  The premise is flat out unreal, but when you get past the suspension of disbelief, it actually had the corny elements of a nice love story.  I've discovered that there's this French actress by the name of Vanessa Branch who speaks fluent Mandarin and acts in all these projects out here (as well as in Hollywood.)  Crazy, weird, cool.

I was promised subtitles but a minute into the movie, after it started with them, they mysteriously disappeared!  Doh.  I half thought of walking out to complain, but then I decided to stick around and test myself.  (Who was I going to complain to, and what was I going to say?  I couldn't even say the name of the film when I bought a ticket - I just asked for the 5:20 showing of that "Love" movie - cause those words I can handle.)  The film was this blend of Mandarin/English/French - languages I'm at least a little bit familiar with - and I think while I was totally in the dark during some scenes as to what characters were saying, I got the gist of it through their expressions.  I decided I was basically watching a silent film in those moments and that's when I felt that I was sold on the film since the actors were conveying the emotions of the story well to this bozo who didn't necessarily understand everything that was going on. 

Meanwhile...back home...my best friend from high school had a baby!  This is the first best friend of mine who has had a kid.  I actually feel kind of bad that I'm not there right now to meet the little bugger fresh out of the oven.  In a way, I feel like he's a part of me.  Is that my male estrogen talking?