I (I being Shaun M. here) have a water bottle that I fill with filtered tap water from work and drink from throughout the day. I purchased the bottle at a local Marks & Spencer during my last trip to London, drank it on the plane, and brought it to work.

Somehow, drinking tap water from a European bottle adds class to my work day.

It’s time for another: FUN vs FUNK!

This time, let’s look at my near-future business trip to China which is now expected to be 3-4 weeks long. and what better time for this FUN vs. FUNK than right now! Especially since China’s president is hanging out a mere stones throw from my company this morning as he gives a presentation to Yale.

fun: I’ve never been to china. I hear its got some walls
funk: 24+ hours in a plane qualifies as ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ in most civilized societies
fun: a month in china means that I will surely have at least one or two days off to explore the eastern world
funk: all scheduled events: kung fu, rockclimbing, guitar lessons, graduate classes, jam sessions will have to be canceled
fun: no gas bills for a month!
funk: there’s a good possibility that plumbing will not be existant.
fun: china is kind of magical
funk: I’m not going to “cool place” China. I’m going to the South Dakota equivilent of China.
fun: If there’s internet, my website will be exciting
funk: there may not be internet

So I guess the entire balance of this trip is tipping on whether the destination has internet access.

Last night an individual started at Kung Fu whose biceps were at least as large as medium sized cantaloupes. This is not an exaggeration, if we were to take a caste of his arms we could easily fit various sized melons and gourds inside with room to spare. It was clearly not just a bicep thing either, his form in its entirety was substantial. His chest was about the size of a Buick*.

But while his size impressed me, it was instead his response to a little kid’s comment that deserves mentioning.

A young boy walked up to him as he prepared for class and with mouth slightly agape said

“wooooow. you’re really strong. How’d you do it?”
Colossus pointed to his bicep and said
“it has nothing to do with this,” and then pointing to his head “it’s all about whats in here. You could do it too if you wanted”

what a great thing to say! rock on Kung Fu dude

*this is an exaggeration. though not by much.

I have been promoted to Orange Belt in Kung Fu.